No good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of Denton City Council today's date Tuesday, May 5th, 2026.

It is 4 02 p.m.

We'll call the meeting to order.

First thing on the agenda in person.

Let's see.

No, here we go.

Citizen comment on the consent agenda items.

And having none takes us to uh request for clarification agenda items listed on the agenda for public hearing or individual consideration.

Any um clarification on agenda items.

Seeing none though, I'll note that items the following items were pulled.

And and uh is there anyone that needs let me do this in order?

Items are pulled.

It'll be E F and O.

No uh presentations, just separate vote, and that's EFO.

No, M was not being pulled.

So that's that.

Then before we go into the first work session, do need clarification.

We have placeholders for uh closed session.

I do want to go into closed session for item A in the closed session portion of the agenda.

Is anyone that needs to talk about the better say let me see?

Yes.

Is there anyone who needs to talk about the municipal judge uh appoint appointment and closed?

Okay, then that then we'll we won't use that one.

That's just a placeholder.

We won't use that one.

Um takes us to our work session item item 3A ID 260590, receive report whole discussion regarding the city's 311 operations.

I will tell you.

Good afternoon, Mayor and City Council.

I'm Sheila Graham.

I'm the Ditton 311 operations manager.

So what is Denton 311?

What is Denton 311 and who are we?

So if you look at there's a photo of my team here, a couple of us were missing, but there are eight uh ten of us on the team, and we are a single point of contact for non-emergency city services.

We enhance quality of life, we increase city efficiencies, uh and we provide residents with easy access to city services and a live person 365 days a year 247.

So if you look at this timeline here, um you can see that Denton 311 went live with community improvement services in March of 2024.

That was about 50 to 100 calls a month that we began taking for community improvement services.

Um August 2024, we began taking 8200 calls, and 8200 previously had been the city's switch board.

So if you called and you wanted a general number for the city, it was 8200.

So when we began taking those calls in August of 2024, that was really our first experience speaking to the public directly.

Now we have people who call, for example, when they're walking their dog in the morning every morning, and they call and they let us know what they're seeing in the community.

Um the 311 three-digit dialing was available on National 311 day, which was March 11th, 2025.

We began our social media campaign in spring of 2025, and we went live with the rest of the city departments or the city departments we service on uh in April of 2025.

So we've been live a little over a year.

So these are our service uh partners, some of our service partners.

We are live with 16 city departments, and we provide a convenient way for residents to receive help with city services.

So here when you look at this slide, we provide reliable service 24-7.

We believe that emails and voicemails get lost and tickets get answered.

If you look at the information on the right side of the slide, you can see that the service requests that were created by my agents, the service requests that are created via self-help channels, such as the mobile app and on the web.

And then you can see info only.

Info only are calls that we receive that are about something that's not a direct city service, right?

Maybe they're calling and they want to know where they can get their driver's license renewed at, or they're calling and they want to know where to get their birth certificate or their marriage license.

Those are those info calls.

Um for security monitoring, you may not be aware that Denton 311 monitors the citywide security cameras.

And we also um are very proud of this.

This last stat on the left side, the request closed on time.

Back in April of 2025, city departments were closing 51% of the service requests on time.

As of last month, it was 85% of those service requests were closed on time.

And actually for April, it was 88%.

So we're doing a great job closing these service requests and responding to them in a timely manner.

So this next slide, top 11 requests, and I decided to put the 11 request here because of number 10, which is other back in the Denton uh engaged denton days, the other service request type was in the top four, and now it's number 10.

And these 11 service request types make up 41% of our total service request.

But the other service request type being number 10 means that we're providing better service.

We are letting citizens know these are the things you can report.

This is how you report them, as opposed to just saying other I don't know what this is, I don't know where it goes.

So we're able to provide better service for our residents.

Okay, so community engagement.

That's something that we're passionate about, making sure that the community is aware that Denton 3.1 is available and what services we offer.

You can see from some of the photos.

We go to the rec centers, we go to the libraries and give out information.

Um we are looking at possibly advertising on some city vehicles, and we're looking at technology improvement, like offering post survey uh post service request surveys, so people can let us know how we're doing.

Okay, any questions?

Questions for staff representative district one and then two.

Oh maybe I didn't get enough time.

This is so interesting.

And on the kind of funny side of this, let's look at the the silver lining of all of this.

It reminds me of the fact that didn't is probably a good one big HOA that we are really uh being mindful of what's going on, and now when people do go on their uh dog walks and things like that, that we're watching out for each other.

Yes, and I like that.

Thank you.

So thank you all for bringing this to us.

Uh, did I understand that um did you did I understand that we no longer have engaged didn't?

Correct, it's DITN.

So the app is Denton 311.

Okay, so engaging because sometimes I'll tell the people, you know, go on engage didn't.

So no more engaged didn't.

Yes, it's DING.

We still do have discussed Didn't is that correct?

So we still have discussed DIN, and then we have 311.

All right.

And then you mentioned something about closed on time.

Yes.

When you say closed on time, can you be a bit more specific as to what that would mean if I you know put something in and then it comes up closed, but I still see the issue.

Yes.

Okay.

So it's a great question.

So closed on time means that we have the service requests, most of them have between a one and a seven-day service level agreement.

So the departments are expected to close them within that one to seven days.

Now there are exceptions, right?

Um, high weeds, which is our second most popular service request type, for example.

Um it does sometimes go beyond those seven days because a person is given seven days to abate that, right?

So if you call in on a Monday, we get out there on Tuesday, then they're given seven days to cut their grass.

Okay, right.

So those types of things might go past that three days or what your expectation is.

Now, one of the things my department is doing is we are trying to educate people when you call about a code request, for example, we will tell you, well, that's that's gonna take an additional seven days, they're gonna get out there within three, we're gonna give the person time to cut their grass.

Another good example is if you call for a new street light or a new signal traffic signal, those things take additional time because we have to bore into utilities and infrastructure, so those are gonna take more time.

But majority of the service requests are closed within one to seven days, which is the service level agreement for the departments.

Okay, so with that being said, um, are we going to if you have to go and follow up?

I mean, each department is responsible for following up.

Um you know, to close it out.

Um is that gonna put a strain on because we're expecting more, you know, more people now, more people are becoming more educated.

You all want us to call in, right?

So that's sounds like that might put up um uh HR strain on us if if you know we're having more calls, you need more people.

Um do you all have any kind of uh outlook on how many more?

I mean, is there a uh outlook on what we should be expecting?

So we might want to budget for something, uh some more employees, or how does that kind of thing work?

So that's a great question, and I can't answer it directly, but I can tell you that we are when we go out in the community, we're pushing download the app.

Download the app, and when you look at this slide, you can see self-help is outpacing calls, and we want to keep that trend because we would rather people use the app.

If we get the more calls, then that's you know what we're talking about, right?

As far as staffing and things like that.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Representative Disney 2.

I'm just right here, you can whisper it.

The video there we go, thank you.

Um I don't have a soul apparently uh oh uh I appreciate the presentation.

Uh uh first the accolades, I I've heard a lot of good uh feedback from the community and generally they they they like engaged debt and they like 311.

Um the one thing that I've heard, and I so I want to you know pick your brain about get a little more knowledge is is the concept that counselor bird brought up, and that is uh how how do we do ticket um uh closures and assignments?

So um when you assign this to another department, you know, that you re you receive a ticket, or do you generate you start a ticket or it goes in through self-help, and how is it it's transferred to a department and then it's marked closed or it's not marked closed until the department marks it closed?

So it's a great question, and the system automatically when you hit submit either on the app or the website, or if you call 311, as soon as submit is hit, it goes automatically to the department, right?

So as soon as you hit submit, it goes to community improvement or wherever it needs to go.

Now, best case scenario, and I will admit some departments do better than others, some departments leave it open until it's completely done, right?

So if you're asking for that new signal light, that service request might be open for a month because they need to go out and do their traffic study or whatever the case may be.

Some departments do close them immediately and put them in their own work order management system.

So we are going, we're trying to get away from that, right?

And we are asking them to put notes in the system.

Some departments do that.

So for example, you put in your service request.

We've closed this service request for 311, but we we are still working it in our own case management system.

So we're working towards that, and we're working towards more communication with the citizens so they know that maybe your service request is gonna take 30 days, and this is why.

So we are working on better communication with the residents.

No, I I appreciate that, and I think you drilled down to the the heart of the it's it's not anger, it's frustration because for the same reason that Councillor Byrd brought brought it up.

Um closed, I think has has a more colloquial you know, understanding and and in the ticket business, you and I both know that it's it's it's it's just more the way tickets work.

But if we could uh have a different descriptor, either like it, you know, uh when it's closed, but it's in process have some other description that gets back to the uh feedback such that closed really does mean closed and and that there's some other way of describing that when it's simply transferred into a department system, that would go a long way to alleviating the frustration of of constituents.

And I like that.

So that is something we can work on in the system.

That that's it, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

Representative district four.

Thank you.

Um I've I've heard so many good things about 311.

I'm I'm real, I'm real pleased that it's that it's up and running and performing so well.

Um what about requests that are just off the wall?

Do you get do you get things like that?

There my coffee was too hot or uh the my yard guy scalped my grass or things like this.

Yes.

It's a great question.

Yes, we do, and that really falls under that info only.

A lot of them are info only.

Um those are that's where we talk to someone and they we we explain to them, okay.

Well, this isn't the place to report that.

Um sometimes we do get emails and and we try to we do try to get you to where you need to go, right?

If if you need to call the city of Sanger, we tell you that.

We will give you the number for the city of Sanger.

If you need to, you know, we do work through those as best we can.

How many operators is is that the right term?

Sure.

How many, how many do you have?

Eight.

And tell me tell me what the shift looks like.

So we work a modified DuPont schedule.

Um so they work 12 hour shifts.

Um, and it's you know, don't don't get me aligned, but it's like four days on and three days off, and then I work days for four days, and then I'm off for two days, and then I work nights for three days.

So it's a modified DuPont schedule.

So they work 12 hour shifts and they all work nights, weekends, and days.

And where do you work?

We are on the DME Spencer campus.

I see.

Okay, thank you.

Good job.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Mayor Pretoon.

And then Billy.

Oh, oh, thank you, Billy.

Oh.

Um, if if I repeat anything somebody has already said, just say that it's been answered and I'll go back and watch the stuff.

I'll start the recording.

If you um let me see.

Oh, well, first of all, I do want to thank uh staff for the times that Denton 311 works very quickly.

So there were some construction signs up on Crow Street for months after I think construction was done.

Um, but the I think it was the same day or the first business day after I reported it, they were gone.

So I'm sure that the residents along that street really appreciated it.

Um I've had at least one person say that they think they got cut off of Engaged Denton for submitting too many requests.

So I think you know, I will just keep me telling people, I guess, that engaged has been replaced by Denton 311.

They were saying it kind of jokingly, but I think some people might quite think that.

Um so I think council member birds sort of hit on this of some people get kind of frustrated when um things are marked as resolved when the issue still exists.

So I I think it's gotten pretty good about saying it was um sent to the department.

Um I I haven't submitted one in a while that was like that.

Um so I do you feel like it's gotten better in terms of uh the resident understanding what next steps are or how they would follow up if they're like what you know what's happened with my ticket.

That's a great question.

And one of the things we're working on just with my team is when you call, if you report that thing that I know was gonna take 30 days, right?

We're telling you that to begin with.

Um you've asked for a new signal light that's gonna take a minimum of 30 days.

So we are trying to get better with educating the residents and also working with city departments to provide better information, provide better updates.

If we know that there's an issue that's gonna mean somebody needs to call a third party to come out and a bait an issue, we're asking that city departments put that information in the ticket, and that information goes back out in an email to the resident so they know what the holdup is or what the issue is.

And another thing just to keep in mind, sometimes people will ask for something and then they'll say they want to be anonymous.

Well, you don't get an update if you're anonymous.

I can't tell you that that your street light is gonna take a minimum of 38 days, or that we didn't decide we needed a street light there, right?

So people are anonymous and they don't get the updates.

Okay, thank you.

Um and my last question is so you mentioned that you know we really want to send people to the app.

Um I think it's just you know, fat a little bit more efficient for everybody.

I have heard a few complaints of they start to submit something on the app and the the questions are just so overwhelming that they just give up.

Um so for those people I've started being like, we'll just call 311 if it's because it it I would say it's more questions than engaged Denton was, and I'm sure that's because when the request is really vague, staff can't figure out where it is, or you know, enough detail to really resolve the problem.

So I don't know if there's opportunity to look at opportunity to trim some of the questions because I would agree that I I kind of struggled to report something that I easily reported on Engaged Denton, just I think because of the number of questions, or I kind of hit a dead end in a weird spot.

Yes.

Um so great question, and you're absolutely right.

So part of adding more service requests, we went to the each department and said, what do you need to know to fix this pothole?

And those are the questions that the departments felt that they needed answered.

Now, some of them are not mandatory.

You know, there might be 10 questions, and you can skip eight of them, and and please, you know, feel free to do so if it's not a mandatory question.

But these are questions that the departments felt that they needed to to solve whatever issue or request you have.

Now, of course, if you see one and you're like, there's you know, because Caden and I do a good job of saying to the department, you know, one of them was how big is the pothole?

Really, what does that mean?

Yeah, we try to say, Well, I can't, I can't.

Yeah, it was it was huge, it was huge.

So we try to tell the departments we can't ask that, or maybe we can ask that in a better way.

If you see something and you're like, well, this is crazy, you know, reach out and let us know when we will work on making those better.

Sure, we'll do.

Thank you.

Representative from district five.

Thanks, Billy.

Hi, Jill.

Question for you.

Um of all the requests, what's the most common type of requests?

The most common, it was on here somewhere.

I know high weeds is number two.

It's parking.

Is it parking?

Oh my gosh, it is.

Parking violence.

I know highweeds is number two.

Parking violations, yes.

I'm curious if that can be broken down into subcategories.

Is it are we are we seeing issues?

People parking in front of places they shouldn't be, people blocking people from getting out from the residences.

What kind of parking violations?

So I can let you know, I can break this down for you.

There's two different kinds of parking violations, and for some reason, just at the moment, I'm just drawing a blank.

There's no problem.

There's the you parking in your grass, and then there's the you parking on the street.

You parking in your grass is a code violation type, and you parking on the street for six months is uh is a police parking violation.

So right off the top of my head, I don't know why I'm sorry.

Okay, but I can get that information for you.

No problem, thank you.

And um uh yeah, call three one, they can tell you right now.

One second.

Um I did want to add that we did the citywide parking study.

Um we completed that last year, and it's coming back to council this summer.

So we'll have more information about parking recommendations then.

Why'd you do that?

I mean, you took my thunder.

Okay.

Uh I guess I I won't uh I won't go there.

Thank you very much, Ms.

City Manager.

Um, no more back in parking.

Um, so uh question.

I guess infrastructure-wise, why is this under DME other than location or is it simply location?

I mean, Tony's got a ton of stuff to do.

Um that's I'm just curious why he's heading on this as well.

DME took this project on.

Um, Tony and Jerry have done a great job of getting this across the finish line.

Um, I think it makes sense because DME also has customer service reporting to them.

Um, and so 311 customer service, both very similar type operations, both report up through DME.

Fair enough.

I when I was looking at this weekend, I was surprised uh that it wasn't under public works or safety or anything.

That's why asking the question.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

See none.

Uh there's no direction needed, but um again, uh as you use utilize the app or if you see things or talk to folks, please pass along that information.

And I'm coming up because this is your first presentation.

Okay, great.

So you get an elephant to remember us by.

Well, that's cute.

Thank you.

We'll take this Polaroid picture.

Okay.

Awesome.

Thank you very much.

Great job.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is anybody on number four words?

Up to the other.

And and thank you.

Judge, I'll note that you're you're slot falling down on your job.

Potholes are eighth.

So you need to get to reporting.

Well they they were they were they were higher up or lower.

I expect you to do better.

I'm the guy calling walking the dog.

That's okay.

Uh can I borrow your sheet?

So uh we're gonna set the room that concludes our work session.

We're now going to set the room for closed session.

Uh and the city council will now uh at 426.

Pete.

Is that right?

No, that's the minutes.

Is that right?

No, that's right.

Okay.

426 p.m.

convene in a closed meeting to deliberate closed meeting items set forth on the agenda, which include the following item A, ID 260758 deliberations regarding real property under Texas Government Code, Section 551.072, consulting with attorneys under Texas Government Code Section 551.071.

And then item B was a placeholder, so I'm not gonna call that.

That's not needed.

Um, and so we'll give a second to set the room.

I think food is here.

Good evening, and welcome to this meeting of the Denton City Council.

Today is uh May 5th, Cinco de Mayo.

Uh and it is 6 30.

So I'll call the meeting order.

We have a quorum call and meet in order first thing on the agenda pledges to the United States and Texas flag.

Please stand with me if you're able.

Honorable Texas.

Texas, one state under God, one invisible.

Thank you.

And then we have four proclamations.

And the first of which, if you are here with Small Business Week, if you can meet me at the podium there.

Okay, y'all come on up.

So um, who wants to, who's our spokesperson to tell us what we're recognizing?

We all are.

All right, good evening.

I know everyone is here for this exact reason.

Um, but I'm Aaron Carney, I'm the president of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, and every um once a year, the small business administration recognizes Small Business Week throughout our country.

We are on our 63rd year.

There are 3.5 million small businesses in the state of Texas, and they employ 5.3 million some people, 99.8% of businesses in Texas are small, and they employ so many people here in Denton.

We are proud to represent small business.

We, the Chamber of Commerce, work with America National Bank and Trust each year to put this on.

Um, I did see one of our past sponsors in the uh audience tonight, Greg Johnson.

So with SVN Varis, we got to give you some credit for that.

Um, but I hope you see that the individuals in the audience and um our sponsor in American National Bank and Trust and the Chamber of Commerce believes in the strength of local business.

I know City Council does as well, and the city management staff.

So on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, thank you for honoring Small Business Week, and I challenge each of you this week, make a small change, whether it's normally you go to a chain store for coffee, go somewhere local, um, think about dining locally, grab a bite on the square after this, or in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, grab a local cocktail and enjoy yourself and be safe.

Marty, would you like to say anything on behalf of American National Bank and Trust?

Nope.

Here we go.

Okay.

Introduce yourselves to at least uherson.

Aaron Newquist.

That way our millions of millions of viewers can see this.

That's important.

That's important.

All right, so I have a proclamation here, and and I just want to thank y'all for the work you do and and raising awareness and that sort of thing.

It really does I hear it regularly uh when I'm out and about talking to folks, uh, how how great of work our chamber does in highlighting what we do and uh man, I think the uh coffin races sold out in like a minute.

Right, yeah, yeah, it's fast.

So a lot of great stuff happened, a lot of good visibility.

Uh and so here we go.

Uh this is a proclamation by the mayor of the city of Denton, Texas, to all whom these presents shall come, greetings.

Whereas the city of Denton's economic economy and character are built upon the foundation of our local businesses, which create jobs, fuel innovation, and provide the unique goods and services that make our community thrive.

And whereas the Denton Chamber of Commerce helps drive economic development by supporting small businesses through advocacy, education, workforce development, and strategic partnerships, while access to capital and financial services remains essential to business growth and sustainability.

And whereas Small Business Week in Denton, sponsored by American National Bank and Trust, provides an opportunity to recognize the significant economic contributions of local entrepreneurs and small business owners and encourages community support, investment, and collaboration, leading to business success and job creation.

Now, therefore, our Gerard Hudson with mayor of the city of Denton, Texas, do hereby declare and proclaim this week, May 3rd through the 9th, 2026, is Small Business Week in the City of Denton, and encourage residents, organizations, institutions to recognize the small and recognize and to support the small businesses that strengthen Denton's economy and enhance its quality of life.

If we can give them a hand.

Thank you very much.

Oh, perfect.

Thank you.

Appreciate it, John.

Okay.

And then the next proclamation is bike month.

If you're here for bike month, if you can come on down.

Oh no.

Hey.

Hey, hi.

Very well, thank you.

Good to see you.

Hey, how are y'all doing?

So y'all can uh introduce yourselves and then tell us what we're recognizing and add any uh notes on how people can get plugged up plugged in, upcoming events, whatever.

Okay, I'm Marlis Lamar.

I am the founder and president of the art room, and I'm here representing the art room for uh the positive psychology ride that we're having on May 16th, and we invite you to come out and ride with us.

It's a lot of fun.

Excellent.

Carol, you want to introduce yourself?

Hello, I'm Kate Brunson, and I'm a member of Denton Women's Cyclist.

We are a women's writing group where we encourage safe riding and we get women into riding.

We have a group ride that meets on Tuesday at the Bayless Selby lot at 6 30 p.m.

If you would ever like to join us, you can also find us on Facebook.

Hi, I'm Maggie Bow.

She said it all.

I'm Melissa Carr, and I help lead the ride on Tuesdays.

And we're um it's like eight to ten and um probably an hour ride.

So if you've all if you've ever thought like how do I get around Denton and I'd like to try it on a bike, join us on Tuesday night.

And I'm Councilmember Susie Rimore.

I ride with these ladies when I'm not at council meetings.

Thank you, Susan.

And I'm Kathy Lbright, I'm a former board member of the art room and a volunteer, I'm an artist volunteer there.

And we just want to thank you so much for this proclamation.

Uh May is both National Bike Month as well as National Mental Health Awareness Month.

And so at the Art Room, we're all about healing and recovery through artistic expression and the development of artistic skills, but regular exercise also supports mental health.

So we hope you'll join us on May 16th.

We have a great bike ride planned.

We have three routes, a seven mile for families, 27, and a 50-mile route for the more serious.

And then after we have a big party with lots of raffle prizes and music at Eastside.

It's just a wonderful thing.

So I have postcards and we'll leave out on the table if you want more information.

Excellent.

Thank y'all.

Thank y'all very much.

I appreciate it.

So I have a uh a proclamation here, and it is it says a proclamation by the mayor of the city of Denton, Texas.

Uh to all whom these presents shall come, greetings.

Whereas the city of Denton is dedicated to fostering a bike-friendly community through the pursuit of official designation and enhancement of our Vision Zero program with a mobility plan that prioritizes safe travel and effective network and effective network and the leveraging of innovation to facilitate alternative travel opportunities.

And whereas bicycling is recognized as a sustainable, affordable, and enjoyable form of transportation and recreation that benefits our community by protecting the environment and improving public health and quality of life.

And whereas the city of Denton, the Art Room, Denton, Bike Denton, Bike Texas, and League of American Bicyclists, local bike shops, and independent cyclists through our throughout our community are promoting greater public awareness of bicyclists on our roads and trails and improve safety for all our users.

Now, therefore, our Gerard Hudson with mayor of the city of Denton, Texas, do hereby declare and proclaim May 2026 as bike month in the city of Denton and encourage everyone to experience the joys of bicycling through educational programs, committing commuting events, bike to work day, charity events, races, or by simply enjoying a bike ride.

If we give them a hand.

Hey.

Hey, Mr.

Mayor.

How are you, man?

How do we do on the fire hydrant competition?

Yeah.

Second.

Oh.

Hey, how are you having so the best of us?

That's awesome, man.

It was really good.

Thank you for your post that way.

Okay.

Who's telling us what we're recognizing?

Who's the okay?

Very good.

Yes, for sure.

Here we go.

Well, hello.

Good evening to everybody here.

That's to celebrate drinking water week.

Um.

So this is our uh once a year opportunity to recognize all that goes into our drinking water and celebrate the fact that we have safe, clean drinking water.

And if you're in Denton, award-winning water.

So there's quite a few folks that do this, and we're very proud of them day and night, weekends, holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving.

We're working hard to make sure that the water's safe and clean.

So this is the proclamation of that, I hope.

Got it.

And who do we have here with us?

Hi, I'm Jewel Lanning.

I work in the Water Utilities Administration.

I'm Abby, I'm the regulatory compliance coordinator.

And this is Philip.

Oh, and Peter and George.

Oh.

Yes.

Dennis Qualls, um, assistant, general manager of the water utilities and street operations.

Excellent.

Thank you all very much.

Um, and can you give us a scope scale?

Just give us a water statistics that you find that everyone's here to hear about water to statistics.

So what what what jumps out at you when you're talking to people when they tour?

Well, everybody did look like they were into statistics.

So that's good to know.

Yeah.

Um, you know, we we produce at our peak, maybe 43 or 45 million gallons per day in a day, which is uh a lot.

So uh, but that's a pretty outstanding number, I think.

And that tower, like the tower at McKenna Park, how much water goes in there?

So the tower, the the ground storage tank at our McKenna Park, which is a historic park, I don't know if you know about that, but I can hold two million gallons of water.

Um, and uh it goes up and down every day.

People think that the water towers are always filled with water, but we rotate through them to keep it nice and fresh.

There you go.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Uh let me find my thing so I can see the paper.

There it is.

Uh okay.

This is a proclamation to all whom those present shall come.

Greetings.

Whereas water is our most valuable resource, essential for sustaining public health, supporting a prosperous economy, and ensuring the high quality of life our community enjoys.

And whereas the dedicated water professionals of our municipality, municipal utilities work tireless to monitor, treat, and deliver safe, reliable tap water while maintaining the complex infrastructure required to keep it flowing.

And whereas drinking water week serves as an opportunity for our community to recognize the role that tap water plays in our in our li daily lives for hygiene and hydration to fire protection and to commit ourselves to our stewardship and conservation of our precious water resources.

Now, therefore, I Gerard Hutz with Mayor of the City of Denton, Texas, do hereby declare and proclaim this week May 3rd and through the 9th, 2026, is drink water week in the city of Denton, and encourage all citizens to recognize and honor these individuals.

If we can give them a hand.

Appreciate the help.

Okay.

And if you are here with TW gymnastics, if you can come down, please.

Excellent.

Hey, how are you?

Yeah.

That's one of the rare occasions where I I always worry about people in these steps falling, but I felt good about this because they turn it into a flip or something like that.

They'd handle it well, so I felt good about it.

All right, uh tell us what we're recognizing.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, Council members.

Today we're here to celebrate the TWU 2026 gymnastics team who just won their 14th national championship.

We had two individual national champions.

We had 16 all-Americans.

We had three student athletes who qualified for the NCAA regionals.

That's been a while since we've had more than one do that, so that was great.

And our coaches who send their greetings to you there at the NCAA coaches convention this week and couldn't be here.

They all won multiple coach of the year awards this year.

So it was a fantastic year for the TW gymnastics.

Oh, all while earning above a 3.8 GPA cumulative.

Outstanding.

Outstanding.

So we'll we'll go down, let y'all introduce yourselves.

Now, this is archive online, so Mother's Day, whatever shout outs you want to do, talk about it's archive.

You can share with your fan, you know, your millions of millions of fans.

So here you go.

Hi, I'm Elena Reid.

Oh, where you're from, what you major in what year school?

Um, I'm from McKinney, Texas.

I'm a child development major and what was called year school.

Oh, uh I'm I just finished my sophomore year.

Uh my name is Bailey Boujois.

I'm from Gonzalez, Louisiana.

I'm a public health major, and I'm a junior.

I'm Jordan Luke.

I'm from Canada.

Uh, I'm a sophomore, and my major is biology.

Um, I'm Juliana Baker.

I'm from Magnolia, Texas.

Uh, my major age child development, and I just finished freshman year.

My name's Ellie Eanhouse.

I'm from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I'm uh kinesiology major, and I just finished my sophomore year.

I'm Bailey Upton, I'm from Lingington, North Carolina.

I'm a kinesiology major, and I just finished my sophomore year.

I'm Addie Doan.

My major's graphic design, I'm from Georgia, and I just finished my freshman year.

I'm Maddie Murphy from Spokane, Washington.

I'm majoring in finance, and I just finished my junior year.

Hi, I'm Gabby Rooseva.

I just finished freshman year.

I'm from San Antonio, Texas, and my major is business administration.

All right, thank you.

And down this way.

Um, hi everyone, I'm Caitlin Thomas.

I'm the graduate assistant coach, so I'm currently getting my master's in coaching.

Um, I'm from Seattle, but I've now become a Texas resident.

So that's exciting.

Hi, I'm Caroline Bowns.

I'm a political science major and just finished my junior year, and I come from New Hill, North Carolina.

Good evening.

My name is Amine Glenn.

I'm from Memphis, Tennessee.

Um, just finished my sophomore year, and my major is aviation flight sciences.

Okay.

Hi, I'm Sophia Isbell.

I'm from Boston, Massachusetts.

I'm a criminal justice major, and I just finished my junior year.

Hi, I'm Kylie Minard.

I'm from Overland Park, Kansas.

I am a sport management major and I just finished my junior year.

Hi, my name is Brooke Ferrari.

I'm from Colorado.

I'm a graphic design major and I'm gradually graduating on Friday.

Hi, I'm Ruby Goad.

I'm from Newton, Georgia.

My degree is nutrition and health studies, and I just finished my senior year.

Thank you very much.

I appreciate it.

Well, outstanding, and I can't encourage you enough if you're if you hadn't been on uh TWU's campus in a while, I encourage you to go visit one of the visit the campus, visit the one of their uh events, a lot of great stuff happening there.

There are a lot of awards there winning and serving uh our community as well as more broadly, just uh solving a lot of problems and and doing a lot of great research.

So thank y'all very much.

And so have a proclamation here, and uh it's a proclamation by the mayor of the city of Denton, Texas to all whom these presents shall come, greetings.

Whereas the Texas Women's University Gymnastics program achieved outstanding success this this season, securing the 14th national championship in program's history at the women's college collegiate, wait, collegiate gymnastic national invitational championship and strengthening TWU's legacy of excellence, and whereas TWU's student uh athletes delivered exceptional individual performances, earning national honors and qualifying for the NCAA gymnastics regionals, showcasing the depth and talent depth and talent of the program.

And whereas for more than four decades, TWU gymnastics has completed competed at the highest levels of the collegiate gymnastics, upholding a tradition of academic achievement, integrity, and leadership through nationally recognized coaching and longstanding commitment to achievement.

And whereas the city of Denton commends the pioneers for their dedication, perseverance, and outstanding representation of their school and our community, inspiring future generations of student athletes.

Now, therefore, our Gerard Hutz with mayor of the city of Denton, Texas, do hereby recognize the Texas Women's University gymnastics team for their remarkable accomplishments and enduring contributions to collegiate collegiate athletics and declare May 5th, 2026 as Texas Women's University Gymnastics Day in the City of Denton and encourage all citizens to enjoy in celebrating this extraordinary accomplishment.

If we give them a hand, we should.

Okay, if we can play the video for dressing council.

The Denton City Council has adopted rules of procedure, including a code of conduct that applies to the public as well as council members.

These rules were enacted to promote an orderly process and to preserve decorum.

Speakers will have four minutes to give a scheduled report and four minutes to give an open mic report.

A bell will ring when time has expired.

If the remarks are not concluded by that time, the speaker will be asked to stop speaking.

If the speaker does not cease and a second request is made, the mayor may request to have the speaker removed from the chamber.

Speakers should not approach the dais.

If a speaker has materials for the council, please notify the city secretary in advance.

For scheduled reports, the council may initiate discussion or ask questions.

For non-scheduled open mic reports, the council may listen.

However, because no notice of the subject of the open mic report has been provided to the public in advance, the Texas Open Meetings Act prohibits discussion or decision by the council on non-scheduled items.

As a result, the council may only proceed as follows on non-scheduled items.

Propose to place the item on a future agenda.

Make a statement of factual policy or a recitation of existing policy.

Speakers are asked to direct all remarks and questions to the council as a whole and not to any individual member.

Please refrain from making abusive, personal, impertinent, profane, or slanderous remarks.

Anyone who violates the council rules of procedure may be immediately removed from the chamber.

Thank you in advance.

Copies of the rules of procedure are available from the city secretary.

Thank you, first speaker.

Uh Ms.

Short with uh Dementia Friendly.

If you can come up and give your name, you'll have four minutes.

Thank you.

Hopefully I won't take that long.

Yeah, and you can adjust that down for yeah, thank you.

How's that?

Perfect.

Okay.

Thank you this evening for letting me say a couple of words about dementia friendly.

It is just we wanted to make sure that everybody was aware of the resource that we are now providing in the community.

You have in front of you each of you a brochure that talks about dementia friendly and dementia friendly is a movement that's going across the country.

And part of it is that we can provide resources and education to the community, to our businesses to make sure that the individuals who currently are suffering from dementia, there are over 200 different types, and their care partners are being supported by our community.

It's a little bit of combination of books in the library, respite, caregiver support groups, whatever is needed to make sure that our community is supporting those individuals.

We have a strong community of retirees, especially because of the two universities.

And I think all of us have been touched by someone who may have dementia, maybe a family member, maybe a friend.

And I think as we age, we are also being asked by our doctors particular questions to see how we are doing cognitively.

If we can say who the president is, if we can say where we're living, some of those things are now beginning to happen to more and more of us as our population ages.

But this is just to let you know about the resource that we are offering in our community.

You have a list of some of the things that also are occurring, a dementia-friendly chapel service.

We have support groups.

We have that's not only the Alzheimer's Association, Roberson Ranch here, Stepping Stones, and one in Flower Mound, but it gives you a list of different activities and people to contact if you are impacted or you know of somebody who is struggling.

Being a caregiver is a 24 hour, seven days a week.

It is difficult to rest, it is difficult to sleep.

You keep an open ear listening to noise that's going on if somebody wanders out of the home or goes into the kitchen.

My parents took care of my grandmother, and mom always heard my grandmother at three in the morning making coffee.

But that was difficult because of the stove.

And eventually the knobs came off the stove.

Eventually, different things occurred to keep my grandmother safe.

And ultimately actually went into a facility, which is a very difficult decision to make also.

But wanted to make sure you were aware of who we are.

You'll hear more about it, especially next month.

June is dementia month, Alzheimer's Association.

So we will get more out.

We have a website, we have a Facebook page, we have a newsletter, and trying to get as much information out to support our community.

I will leave more of the brochures out front, but especially I think each of y'all have one and even a dementia-friendly pin to remind you of who we are.

That's it.

I know Mayor Husband, I know Jill, and I think part of it is that we've had felt that we've been very supportive by the city council and by the community.

Great.

And one second, uh, representative from District 6.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for coming here and talked about this.

And I just wanted to ask are you still going out to businesses, helping maybe at a restaurant, servers understand how to work with, getting an order from someone that's suffering.

Yes.

Going to law firms.

I know you all came out to my law firm to talk about how to work with people and communicate best.

Are you still doing those things?

Great.

That's a perfect marketing tool.

Well, I just want to make sure everyone else is new too, so they can invite you.

Our goal is especially to go out to businesses when there are small businesses earlier to get the word out and to explain part the back of our brochure talks about some of the signs and symptoms of what dementia is and how to support again an individual who comes to the community or lives here.

We hand out to our caregivers even little cards that will explain that the person I am with has a membering issue.

Because there are times in a restaurant to get something they struggle and may want everything on the menu or whatever you're ordering on the menu.

But yes, we prefer, and actually we're reaching out to businesses so that again they can do better at serving their customers, their clients, and to do a better supportive community.

Make them make it safe, make it a community that they want to stay.

We saw during COVID, people shutting down and more and more people having issues because socialization is very, very important when you have dementia, being out, being among people, going places.

So, yes, thank you, Jill.

That helps.

Thank you very much.

I appreciate it.

Thank you for the work you'll do.

Thank you.

Yes.

And next speaker is Mary Wright.

If you can come down and give your name, you have four minutes.

Hi, Mary.

Sorry.

Okay.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council members.

My name is Mary Wright.

I've lived on Mill Pond for over 20 years.

For many years, the Cooper East Branch was maintained by the city drainage department.

And in 2023, that responsibility shifted to the parks and recreation, and the area was designated a NOMO Wildflower Zone.

Since 2024, I have repeatedly asked who made this decision and how many residents were informed.

I was redirected many times without clear answers.

Finally on this year, I made an open open record request and finally learned that this came from a December 2023 Parks and Recreation meeting and that a feedback survey existed, but residents were not aware of it.

How can the public provide input if they don't know this opportunity exists?

This practice, this project is scheduled for reevaluation in June of this year.

I asked that you consider not only the review, but also the live live experiences of the residents affected every day.

History does matter.

And on April 25th, 2007, this area was flooded and damped and homes damaged it.

Residents had to come before the council to re to request improvements.

That risk has not disappeared.

In 2025, no ground maintenance was performed.

Vegetation overgrowth and other objects block water flow and cause the creek the creek to rise.

I reported this multiple times at 311 with no resolution.

And only after contacting the city manager's office that a crew eventually clear the blockage weeks later.

Is this approach really helping the environment or creating unintended consequences for both wildlife and residents?

If the goal is to promote wildflowers, there are more appropriate locations like the designated natural heritage area and not a residential court corridor with a known flood history.

I'm asking the city council to take this accountability for this decision and restore regular maintenance to Cooper Creek East.

This the current conditions are the results of choices made without residential awareness or input.

And this is 2027.

2007 when the flood.

Thank you.

Okay, we have one question.

Representative from District 2.

Hey, Mary, have you had a chance to um speak with uh any of our blue-green um infrastructure folks at the Texas Semaster Naturals, the UNT, because they've been working in close association with parks to make sure that the 2007 flood never happens again while restoring habitat and and then actually the truth is that this kind of habitat restoration prevents flooding, doesn't increase it.

So if if madam city manager, if you wouldn't mind getting some of these groups, especially Dr.

Jamie Baxter Sly uh at UNT, uh maybe maybe um Miss Wright would be willing to have a conversation with these these blue-green infrastructure experts that are they're advising the city right now.

Can I ask the question, Brian?

It's up to the mayor.

Yeah, sure.

Go ahead.

Well, nobody monitored this creek any this past year, and and I can only see it because I maintain my yard so I can see the creek like I have for years.

And the creek was rising.

Nobody came up, nobody can see it.

And so I I don't see how anybody else would notice it but me.

Yep.

No, we'll we'll have them reach out, and then uh the city manager, you'll have her information as well to make sure you we have a good line of communication.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Uh that takes us to uh our next speaker, Prudence Sanchez.

If if you can come down and give your name, you'll have four minutes.

Yes.

It's okay if we can just escape out of this.

Yes, I think.

Uh Christy.

Can you help me with that?

Please, and thank you.

That's this one.

This is my name is Prudence Sanchez.

I live at 711 Jackson Street.

I've been a resident of Denton since 1995.

I've worn many hats here in Denton, uh, dental hygienist attorney, but tonight I'm speaking as a private property owner.

I am speaking tonight about the audit that was uh done in April of 2025 regarding uh the homeless um initiatives that the city is doing.

So sadly, the audit stated in April 2025 that um encampment response processes are reactive, not coordinated, and not well documented.

No guidelines exist for private property encampments.

So I am kind of holding my breath.

So excuse me.

I think you had somewhere that I need to go on.

Yeah, thank you.

This is what it looks like right now on my private property.

We own we own property on Sycamore Street, and the uh a lot behind it that is on Crawford Street, and we own all the way down to the middle of the creek.

We've asked the city before to help us with these situations, and what the city what the police have told us is you need to mark your boundaries purple with paint.

You need to paint your fence purple.

That way we'll know that you are trespassing these people and that we can help you with that.

Sadly, this is this is just a few weeks ago.

On a board member of Serve Denton, I've done the point in time count.

I have been on the homeless coalition, and I've done low bono cases for children who need representation here in Denton.

What I am not unsympathetic to is the fact that the city has no answer for me for people who are criminally trespassing on my property, criminal mischief on my property, and then I am told that when this illegal dumping takes place, and the person who has committed this criminal mischief or any legal dumping leaves, it's up to me and at my cost to clean it up.

So that's what we've been told.

A few weeks ago, and while my husband's going to speak after me, it makes me this is not good for the people who live in these encampments, and this is not good for me.

This encampments are right on the drainage ditch.

I know that these people are using the bathroom in these drainage areas.

But this does not contribute to that.

And I give prompts to the people who do provide us clean water when these things are allowed to happen here in the city.

After the audit, I know that the Denton Shelter, uh, that the nonprofits that run the city shelter made some changes and dropped from uh their 24-hour services uh in favor of the long-term help.

That has not impacted these people who don't have accommodations.

I don't really know what I don't really know what to offer except what the auditor said.

Increase coordination between street outreach providers and centralized encampment decision making.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um and the I I see no questions, so uh I'll call up Alfredo Sanchez, and you'll have four minutes.

Thank you very much.

Yes, it's okay if I leave this up because you'll probably use it.

Thank you.

Okay, my name is my name is uh Alfred Sanchez.

Um I live at 711 Jackson Street, and I'm a retired uh wildlife biologist, and currently I'm a landlord and also manage uh uh property.

I'm a property uh owner.

Um I have a house that I manage for the working poor out of the other properties I have, so I am concerned about the homeless.

I hire homeless people to help me with the maintenance.

I uh participated several years ago in in developing a um to include uh boarding houses in the city plan.

Currently I'm remodeling another house that I'm gonna use for the working homeless.

Um I am here to discuss the trash along the storm water water drainage near Sycamore Street in Southeast Denton.

This drain eventually drains into Lake Louisville.

My property is located adjacent to this concrete drain.

A couple of times I have become aware of fires within my property as a result of accumulation of trash by the homeless and and the homeless camping on my property.

Less than a week ago, there was a fire on my property.

I have painted my property boundary purple as advice by a policeman.

And that and but that did not deter camping on my property by the homeless.

When we walk out into the property, it is not unusual to get feces on our on our shoes.

What is also disturbing is the amount of trash along this waterway that ends up in Lake Louisville.

Lake Louisville is a recreational lake along as a source of water for Texas residents.

It is the city's responsibility to protect all its citizens, not just the homeless.

So I'm just saying that whole creek needs to be um let's where I want.

Patrolled.

And we talked to the we talked to the city about keeping that area, and they said, well, you move them out of this area and they'll move to another area.

But they know where they just move from one area to the other and then come back when they when they're asked to remove to be moved.

Yeah, no, and and I I will tell you I what you're saying is accurate, it is challenging, and I've had conversations about providing roll-off dumpsters in this instance, and there's been a lot of things, but uh there uh are challenges.

I'd love to get your insight on how we can solve for those and and kind of talk through those uh because I'm I'm just as passionate about it and and one of uh a statement of fact, and I'm gonna get this wrong so uh because you can't, I it's not posted, so I can't go in detail, but I can do statements of fact.

So somebody help me.

If if someone, because this is frustrating for me as well.

So if someone's found on private property, what what's the process?

We go give them a notice, right?

And then they have days to give them a notice to to leave, and they have days to collect their stuff.

Is that am I close?

I know I'm close.

Come on up.

Let's get it out there.

Jesse Kent helps us in with that.

Yes, sir.

So what's that process?

Jesse Kent Director of Community Services for private property.

It is totally in the property owner's control if they want an individual to be trespassed, they can call the police department and they have control of their property.

And they're removed same day?

If if that's the the property owner's request, they want that individual trespass.

That is the police's process.

Okay.

Well, no.

Yeah, y'all, y'all trade.

Do you have his information already?

Yeah, what happens is, and we've had it, we've we've asked to be to have them trespassed, and basically we're told uh that's why we're told we can do the blue purple line, sure, because you can't trespass them.

First of all, these people come in, they say we don't we have to get a hold of them.

Well, the police come in during the day.

These guys are gone in early in the morning and come back late at night.

So, in order to trespass them, you have to be able to give them some kind of a ticket or something, or tell them you're trespassing.

Well, it doesn't work, and now we've already been told that by the police.

Basically, they tell me you go out there and and take care of it yourself.

You know, we can't do it because we don't have the personnel to do it.

Yeah, and it's not just me, it's that whole, it's that whole creek area.

No, no, it's it's beyond that.

And and and and that's a challenge.

And so I'll just tell you again, statement of fact, yes.

What I I've been told, you know, we can't provide roll-offs because that that is not a municipal use.

And so we'll continue to work on the states.

But thank you for raising awareness.

I appreciate it.

And get Jesse's information and he'll help us.

Okay, is that it?

Yes.

Thank you very much.

We will escape that.

Okay, thank you.

Next speaker is, oh man.

Yes.

Willie Hudsmith, come on up.

Gladly.

Yes, sir.

Let me know if you change your mind if you don't want to speak.

Just let me know.

Mr.

Larry, come on up, give your name.

You have four minutes.

My name is Larry Lawrence.

Council members, thank you for this opportunity, Mr.

Mayor.

Yes, sir.

So I'm here to speak on uh the city manager, the position uh that's opened up.

I'd like to see the city hire within, and uh I believe Miss Ogden would be the perfect choice.

She's already doing the job, and uh you know, I sent a request in April 15th to kind of get an idea of what it costs the city to go outside for a hire.

I I haven't got an answer back yet, so I did a little bit of research, and on the low end, our city will spend between 215 to 275,000 for this process.

And uh, you know, I hear that we have some budget restrictions, that's a lot of money, you know.

Uh maybe that could bring us another officer or firefighter.

We we have someone within, you know.

Uh we have to ask ourselves at what risk, you know, when we go outside, what's it do to the the current employees?

You know, we run the risk of the morale, culture, high turnover.

You know, it it's a message that it sends, you know, to our great city employees, they're the they're the backbone of Denton, right?

That the ceiling can only be so high for you, you know.

If you aspire to want to do some things and and move up the rank, well, you can only go to here, right?

We have to have the courage to hire within, right?

This is a unique city.

She's been doing this job, but you know, she's got the uh interim tag uh to her name now, so you it almost sends a message.

I'm just assuming, you know, you can hold it down for so long, but let us go outside and bring someone in.

At least for me, that would be demoralizing when I'm already doing the job.

Again, this is this is a great city, right?

Let's let's show that we will hire within.

That's what sends a great message to the city.

You know, there's a there's a quick story I'd like to tell.

I know when uh Miss Ogden, I believe it was in the sixth grade, they had a class project, and on this project, she ended up the city manager, and she knew then this is what she wanted to, this is what she wanted to do.

You know, we have to send that message, right?

Dreams come true.

You work hard, you'll be rewarded.

No one knows our city like the folks that are from our city, right?

Going outside, let's let's stay in-house, right?

Let's take some of this money and again maybe bring a firefighter or officer on board or uh help with some of these other issues we have.

Folks, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Did you change your mind?

All right.

Well, come on up, give your name.

You'll have a 30 seconds to get off to a good start.

We had an election.

Didn't we get rid of you doing that time?

I wonder if this mute button still works.

I didn't use it in a while.

Still here.

Gee, and I have a complaint.

Also, no way.

When I came in here, Austin was rude and mean to me.

Yeah, he wanted to put the handcuffs on me, and he slammed me against the wall for no reason.

Get that man a race.

I give up.

I I too want to speak for her, Miss uh Godwin.

I hope I said that right.

I met with her.

And I've dealt with over the years, several city managers.

She's by far the best I've ever dealing with me that I've uh I've seen, and that's a lot.

So and I think that uh along with Mr.

Lawrence, we we agreed that if you have someone in-house that does the job very well, why would you go out to spend several thousand dollars?

Which, if the city's having budget problems, could aid in that in eliminating that problem.

You have the expertise, and she's doing a good job now, and you already know she can do the job.

So our suggestion is that just forget that search you're planning to pay for, and and just let her know that she's got the job.

That would be my recommendation.

And uh David for Wordsworth, I think it would be a good thing if you followed up with that.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Uh that concludes our speakers.

Takes us to the consent portion of our agenda.

I'll take a motion, but for items E F and O, those were pulled.

Representative from District Six.

Mayor, I move approval of the consent agenda uh withholding the three items as previously discussed, uh, that are removed, sir.

Representative from district one.

I'll second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second for the consent agenda, but for items E F and O, which were pulled for individual votes.

Um other discussion?

Seeing none, let's vote on the screen.

And that passes 70.

Takes us to item E, which is ID 252012 consider adoption of an ordinance of the city of Denton, Texas, a home rule municipal corporation authorizing the city manager to execute a development agreement with Baker 345 LLC and RM Square Denton LLC for payment in lieu of construction of off-site sidewalk improvements along a portion of Moss Branch Road between Hampton Road and US 380.

And uh Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I I'm still struggling with this item a little bit, fully understanding it.

I think I need visuals and that kind of thing.

So I I'd like to motion to postpone item E to a date certain of May 12th to allow more time to understand this item before voting on it.

Okay.

Um is there a second for that?

Representative from district two.

I can support that.

Yeah.

Uh well, yeah, the 12th were canvassing the vote, so it wouldn't be then.

I don't have a calendar in front of me.

I'd like to motion to postpone this item to a date certain of May 19th.

Um, okay, and do you still second that?

I do, sir.

Okay, great.

Discussion.

I uh representative from district five.

Um Mayor, perhaps it's helpful to have the developer on this project since he's here maybe talk us through it.

Maybe we can get to some resolution tonight.

Yeah, no, I I have I have that before he comes up.

I I have that question, so yeah, that's that's good.

Do you have any other questions?

No, sir.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, but so was staff aware of any did staffers even questions or provide any answers, right?

Like what I guess not even for staff.

Mayor Pro Tim, maybe you can take the mic and help me understand uh why what was not provided or what is missing in the time that we had to prepare for this.

Sure.

Um, I did request a visual, a map kind of showing the situation, and I didn't get that, and so I'm still um just the verbal descriptions with all the ways the streets are laid out in this area.

I'm really struggling to understand the locations of everything.

So I largely I need a visual is the big thing I'm missing.

Yeah.

Uh good evening, Mayor and City Council, Charlie Rosendal, Director of Development Services.

Um I can pull up here.

So just for your council's reference, um you can see here this area um in black is the actual site of the developments.

Um it is off of um Mosh Branch Road and north of Hampton Road.

Um so it's you can see here maybe it's not too clear, but it's just west of 35 off of Moss Branch Road.

So this project did come before city council in 2022, and the developer committed to doing additional off-site improvements as part of their zoning requests.

And so you can see here these are the improvements that would be completed.

So this is Hampton Road here.

The this is the southwest corner of the development.

So they're completing the three lanes of roadway on Mosh Branch Road, and then off-site they're uh completing two lanes, um, reconstructing one lane and completing an additional lane that goes all the way down to where improvements were already made at Mosh Branton US 380.

Okay.

Um get back to my screen.

Got it.

Okay, thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Um the applicant.

But what's before us, help me understand what's before us is payment in lieu of, so there's nothing to see that's going to be added, right?

There's no picture of a sidewalk or area where sidewalks going.

We're gonna pay, they're gonna pay in in lieu of putting in side.

Do I understand that right?

Yeah, that's correct.

The agreement is for payment in lieu of there's right-of-way constructions um in this area where there's an adjacent parking lot.

So this highlighted area in red is where there's um some difficulty in being able to construct that sidewalk, and our transportation services staff is looking at the feasibility of making some type of connection in this area with that payment in lieu.

But our our staff agrees that there's an issue that has to be addressed before you.

Yeah, there's there's an adjacent.

So this the area further north of this property has uh more grassy area between it and the development.

The area in red is adjacent to a parking lot.

Got it.

Okay.

Um do you have any is the applicant have anything to add before we move on?

Uh you don't have to, but if you do, you more to welcome Lee Ramsey 525 South Loop 288.

Excuse my address, I didn't know I was going to be here presenting tonight, so uh came straight from the office.

So just a quick thing.

When we originally did the zoning case on this, we promised the neighborhood of Hampton Road that we would not improve that road, and a developer to the south of us had already improved part of Moss Branch Road.

So we're continuing on Mosh Branch of what they had approved before to connect it and then bring it up through our property.

So there was just one little section of sidewalk we weren't able to build because of existing right-of-way of a project that was done in the ETJ and then later brought into the city.

So we're building sidewalks everywhere feasible.

There's just one small section, and uh we're also on that side of the road, there's a current five-foot sidewalk.

Um we're actually paying in lieu of for an eight-foot sidewalk on that section of road, although that's a five foot's all that's required in that section.

The other side of the road will have a 10-foot, and then as we come up and and build both sections of the road, once we get past you know the where the turn is, we're building all sections of sidewalk.

So there's just one section because of grades and what was done previously in the ETJ, then brought in the city that we don't quite have enough right-of-way there.

So that's that's why we're uh doing the sidewalk agreement.

So if there's any other questions, I'm happy to address.

Got it.

Thank you.

We'll see.

Thank you very much.

Refer representative from District 6.

So sorry.

Um, so well, I have I have two questions.

One for uh the the move.

Um I I would like to understand uh what the concern is, and second, uh once we hear that, if if it still exists, I'd like to hear if there's any detriment to pushing it another few weeks, um, or if you know it if there are any ramifications for that or unattended consequences that we know of.

So those those are my two questions if you don't mind.

Yes, by all means.

Um it's it's possible that I might be good, but I have a follow-up question whenever it comes time.

I think there's somebody else in line first.

Okay, you want to speak to the timing of you for your project?

Our permits actually approved.

We did make a couple of revisions to our plans, and we our permit was approved, then we had to make a couple of revisions because we had to move power lines and some gas lines, and once those were moved, we had to make a couple of revisions for grades on sidewalks to make sure they tied in so we could build them.

That section is just a little bit north of here.

So we got those, so our silk fence is already up, and we hope to start construction uh at the beginning of next month.

Okay, representative from district four.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Uh council member Jester touched on a couple of things that I was concerned about.

I would like to proceed.

Uh let that be known.

I'd like to proceed with the vote tonight.

How will this affect you, sir?

If pardon me, if we delay a vote until the 19th.

It would really help us if you guys could vote tonight because we could go ahead and move forward with starting our construction.

Our silk fence is up, and we need to have this development agreement done to do our pre-construction meeting with the city.

Um, I believe that's the case, right?

I'm not misspeaking there.

Okay.

Do I presume you have uh crews ready to go?

Yeah, we've already signed our contract with Crossland Construction to uh do the construction on it, and they've already mobilized set SILF fence.

So this was kind of one of our last boxes to check, other than the last couple of revisions that we had to make to continue the sidewalk to the mayor.

Time is money.

I I will not support a delay.

Thank you.

Representative district, uh better say Mayor for Tim.

Thank you.

Um my follow-up question, is there a continuous sidewalk of like at least five feet or so on at least one side of the street right now?

No, this is actually this was just a two-lane county road with bar ditches, is what it was.

And so the developer to the north, uh long 380 up to our point, had already dent built that section of road and taken rid gotten rid of the bar ditch on that side, which we're doing continuing that.

So we're getting rid of the barnage, putting storm uh in and by storm inlets, and so it's more of a city, it is a city road section.

So just in this one small section in red here is where you see that we aren't able to get that in right now, but there is sidewalks everywhere else other than that one section because we just couldn't get the grades to work with the right-of-way that because this isn't our property, our properties to the north of here.

So we that one little section we couldn't get a sidewalk in.

Is there sidewalk on the other side?

We're building new on the other side of the road.

No, it's still bar ditch.

Okay, uh, because that'll get developed when the other side of the road develops.

Yes, ma'am.

To council member Jester's question earlier.

My my big concern is that um, if it's not built now, that somehow we won't get around to filling the gap.

That's kind of what seems has happened in the past.

So that's what my ultimate concern is.

Um, but you said that there will be sidewalk everywhere that there's space at the time.

Yes, ma'am.

It'll go all the way up to the new road section, and then once we start building the whole road section that comes onto our property, we'll build um what's required there.

Okay, ma'am.

Well, I'm happy to uh withdraw my motion.

Um go ahead and motion to approve the item as presented.

I just really stress that staff continue to work on finding a way to fill this gap.

Okay, uh representative district five.

Thank you for being accessible to come down and answer questions tonight.

Happy to second.

We have a motion and second, any other discussion.

Seeing none, let's vote on the screen.

That passes 7-0.

Takes us to item F, ID 260597.

Consider approval of a resolution of the city of Denton, Texas amending prior resolution consenting to the creation of Coal Ranch Improvement District Number 1, Denton County, Texas, and an inclusion of land therein and providing for an effective date.

Uh and this is our move approval.

Uh is there a second or any questions.

Representative from district four.

I second that motion.

Representative from district two.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, the reason I asked to have this pulled is uh it it one of the things that was stated in the backup and the the questions to back up was um when I was trying to understand uh what the efficiencies would be uh to allowing this sort of flexibility.

Um it it seemed like it was mostly geared towards the the ability to um uh not continuously get authority to come back um so that the the developers could could maximize the ability to to manage the property uh in in ways that that honestly probably should have when we're talking about bonds and taxes, should have some sort of oversight.

Uh and so it's not that I'm I'm against or for anything going on in that section, it is that I'm I'm I'm I'm concerned that the flexibility does not allow for the for the oversight.

So it um I'm uh I'm not gonna be supporting the motion.

Okay, any other questions?

Representative district five.

Mayor, um question for the city manager or the city attorney.

Is this keeping in line with what we did with Hunter?

Yeah, yeah, that's correct.

This is the as far as I can tell, Charlie, I believe it's identical or substantially similar to the Hunter deal.

Um this uh Charlie Rosgell, director of development services.

Uh, this request uh before city council.

Um Hunter Hunter Ranch has not had to um modify their district their and sub-district boundaries.

They have um created their sub-districts, though.

So um both developments and their operating agreements allow for um subdividing into multiple districts.

Um coal ranches subdivided into three districts now, um, and then are having to adjust their boundaries of one of those districts, which is the reason this items before city council today.

Okay, any other questions?

Seeing none, we have a motion and a second.

Let's vote on the screen.

And that passes six to one.

Takes us to our last consent agenda item, and that is item O ID 26067, consider adoption of ordinance of the city of Denton, a Texas Home Rule Municipal Corporation authorizing the city manager to execute a contract extension with Kurtco.

Uh Inc.

through April 26, 2027 to continue the crack seal uh services for the streets department providing for the expenditure funds, therefore, and providing for an effective date.

I move approval.

Is there a second or any questions?

Representative district four fix streets as fast as possible.

I second representative from district two.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

And and to come right off of uh counselor Holland's point.

Um, I think one of the reasons this item is before us is we were not able to fix streets as fast as possible.

And one of the concerns I have is um what was the the risk profile that went into that should have been in the contract in the first place that allowed us not to bear the risk for delays.

And some of the questions I asked uh in the backup was what was the cost uh of delays, and because that's the cost that continuing the project, and it isn't that you shouldn't do crack seal, you absolutely should.

It increases the lifespan of the especially of high um uh OCI roads by three to five years.

It is who's responsible for the risk and the delays.

So uh that concerned me greatly, and the question was not answered in the backup.

Okay, any other questions?

Representative from district six.

Um, I'm just gonna say I I uh if I can uh speak to uh the um uh point brought up by council member Beck that I I certainly understand uh wanting to have that in the agreement.

Unfortunately, um, as far as what uh my limited knowledge is uh that the that is just not uh possible in today's competitive uh construction, etc.

with all of the tariffs with the issues, getting things on time.

I I just don't know that it's reasonable to expect these people to be able to say that we'll have the materials uh at every uh date, and so uh I'm gonna be voting in favor of moving forward with this because of the time delay uh that staff stated we would start new biddings for a new contract beginning in November and December.

And so at this point in time, knowing what's going on in the world, I'm I'm willing to move forward with this, but I just wanted to say I understand your point.

Uh, but but that's how I feel, and that's why I'm voting the way I am.

Thank you.

Representative district four.

This is an item that that it's like so many things that that are just part of the part of doing business with a city our size.

Uh I I think any any delay on things like this just uh just slows us down and keeps it from from from fixing streets the way we need to.

I will be I will be uh supporting the the item item oh okay.

Any other questions, comments?

We have a motion and a second.

Let's vote on the screen.

That passes six to one.

Takes us to our public hearing.

We have one, which is 5AZ250018A, hold a public hearing and consider adoption of ordinance of the city of Denton, Texas regarding a change in the zoning district and use classification from R3 residential three to district district to residential seven, R7 district on approximately 0.74 acres of land, generally located on the northeast corner of Bolivar Street and some other street, uh approximately 1.55 feet west of North Elm Street.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Bryce Van Arsdale, Assistant Planner.

This is Z 2518 related to a request to rezone approximately 0.74 acres from R3 to R7.

The purpose of this is to allow for the development of duplexes on the subject lot, and it's located on the northeast corner of Bolivar Street and Talia Farrow Street.

There you go.

Tali.

Talifaro.

Yeah.

The surrounding area is comprised of a variety of housing types, as well as a religious institution and some commercial um supporting uses.

The dimensional standards between the two zoning districts, the major change will be that the R7 zoning district allows for a smaller lot size of a minimum of 4,000 square feet and a reduced front yard setback.

The future land use map designates this area as low residential, which primarily denotes areas which are made up of single-family residences as well as supporting uses such as commercial or quasi republic uses.

The maximum density of this area does uh the low residential designation does allow for five units um dwelling units per acre.

However, while this request does provide for a greater density than what is typically recommended within the future land use map, it is consistent with the area and the development pattern that's taken place over time as there are a number of lots which exceed this five um dwelling units per acre recommendation.

Additionally, this request does satisfy several um future or I'm sorry, comprehensive plan goals, such as land use goals one and three, as well as housing and neighborhoods goal one.

This proposal is consistent with the R7 purpose statement as it does maintain the existing character of the neighborhood.

It addresses the need for missing middle housing, and it's compatible with the surrounding area.

This request does meet our criteria for approval and is not anticipated to um generate any significant uh environmental infrastructural or fiscal impacts.

This um project was notified in accordance with state statute, and I will note that two neighborhood meetings were held in December.

Staff did receive four letters in opposition, totaling about 11.8% of the 200 foot buffer area.

Staff recommends approval of this project as it complies with the criteria of approval set forth in the dent and development code.

And on January 14th of this year, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7-0.

I'm happy to stand for any questions, and I'll also note that the applicant is here with us short presentation.

Okay, thank you very much, and I'll open the public hearing, and then I'll recognize representative from district four when I was a little boy having a soda at the Tolliver Drugstore on the square.

Yeah, right?

Tallifero, for goodness sakes.

It occurred to me at Tolliver's drugstore that that there are very, very few duplexes in Denton.

I'm I'm happy to see this change.

Tell me why this change is happening there on Tolliver Street.

So over on this intersection of two streets that, if you combine them together, sounds like Tolliver.

Um there are a number of number of residences in the area.

Um, the general area, the general block, rather, we see a total of about 24 duplex units.

We have four quadplexes as well as multifamily.

In addition to all of these, there are about um, I believe it's 40 um single-family residences in that same general area.

But am I right?

There has been there has been a reluctance to use duplexes in in city of Denton.

I can't speak to the development pattern of the city as a whole, but in this general area, we've seen several duplexes come in.

Um they've come in a different phases, I suppose, where we've seen the duplexes come in around 1971, 1995, and then again in 2018.

Okay, okay.

Well, in in memory of the ice cream at uh Tolliver Drugstore, I'll be voting to support the Tolliver Street duplexes.

Thank you.

Representative from District 2.

Thank you.

Um I I got a little confused in the backup because I think our staff backup said one thing in the and the project narrative sort of maybe said the same thing, so that's let me let me get some clarity.

Right now, with the zoning right now, how many units could be put on that property today with no zoning change?

Sure.

Um, you could get uh almost about the same.

So it's a 32,000 square foot lot, and between ADUs as well as single family residences, it would be at slightly less, but there would still be some number um more significant than a single family residence.

It would depend on development standards as it relates to access, as well as setbacks and all those sorts of things, so it just depends on the plan the staff is reviewing.

So about the same and um they they could do that by by right, so the the impacts would be very similar if the number of dwelling units are this is roughly the same.

There is a path forward for the developer to reach a similar number of units by right today without the zoning change.

Okay, thank you.

Representative district five.

Bryce, and um in the in the backup, there was a discussion around cars on the street and from in terms of the negative responses.

Did TNZ discuss that?

The staff have a feeling about that.

Correct.

So P and Z did discuss it.

It's also been um talked about at length between um the developer and staff as well as some of the public engagement that was done.

The development does provide the maximum or the number of allowed parking spaces which are required by the Denton Development Code.

And while staff doesn't regulate that area for parking for street parking at rather, outside of what's set forth in the code of ordinances, um the the development does provide the number of parking spaces that we have determined are reasonable for the development of this size.

Okay.

Thanks, Bruce.

Okay.

Uh representative district six.

I'm sorry, you open the door.

I had to walk through.

Um how many parking spaces are required?

I mean, all of the um all of the cards that we got back were in opposition.

Uh there were no in favor.

However, you know, we also take planning and zonings uh seven zero in favor of approval.

Seriously.

Uh what can you tell me about the the parking because that seemed to be the largest concern was um no room for cars.

Sure.

So a development of this size um with duplex uses as parking is determined by your use.

We'll have 16 parking spaces.

Our parking is um in a is the way the code is written is it's a parking minimum, so you have to meet that minimum too in order to be able to develop.

We do allow them to go up to 125% of that, and based on the current site plan, we have 19, but that has again not gone through planning review as the site plan is not tied, it's only conceptual.

Um, it's not tied to the zoning change.

And how many how many bedrooms?

Sure.

So it's gonna be four duplexes.

I've got four duplexes.

I think the applicant could speak a little bit more to that, but um the use the duplex requires it per dwelling unit, not per bedroom parking.

Okay, thank you so much for the information.

Mayor Purto.

Thank you.

Um, before I ask my questions of you, is Miss Bissett going to be presenting to us?

I believe I mean so, or actually, this isn't really a question to you, but I did bike to the area on Sunday to kind of look around, explore the area, look at the on-street parking situation.

I explored the existing duplexes, the nearby quadplex.

Um, on Bolivar Street itself, most of the on-street parking was at single-family residences.

There were the two times that I saw um on street parking in front of a duplex, there were only maybe two parking spots at the duplex, and we're, you know, so that's like two parking spots for uh two units.

So basically parking spot per unit.

This will be two big parking spots per unit.

Um when I went to the the newer duplexes and quadplex nearby, um, I observed uh that the duplex under our old code, it was less than half full.

There was maybe a little under two cars per unit in that parking spot.

It was a lot of the spaces were open.

Um, and then at the quadplex, there were again maybe just under two spaces per unit in that parking lot as well, and there were several spaces open.

So that's what I observed just wandering the area recently.

Okay, any other questions for staff.

Um okay, so I I just want to say before uh the applicant comes up, just to be clear, uh help me understand how many parking spaces are needed if you have a residence and ADU as it was lined out.

So I think it's three residences, three ADUs, right?

How many parking spaces are required for that?

Sure.

So I believe there'll be four parking spaces for the single family residents, as well as um I don't believe that lean on the angle.

I don't believe that we have one for the ADUs.

Right.

Okay.

And I was trying to look at the map just so I have it clear.

Um the other duplexes facing facing Elm Locust or facing Bolivar.

There's a couple on either side of the street or of the block, rather.

So there'll be some facing um Bolivar Street and some facing a couple facing North Elm Street.

Okay.

And then the zoning stays with the once this happens, so like you said, it's conceptual what's going to be built there, right?

Correct.

So we have to consider everything in that zoning class that can be built because they could pivot and say we want to put a daycare there, and they're provide they're allowed to do that.

Yes, sir.

In perpetuity.

Like even if they put the townhomes there, tear them down 10 years from now, they can put a business there.

That's correct.

Got it.

Okay.

Uh so uh Amy, if you can come up, you'll have 10 minutes if you can give your name.

Good evening, Mayor, Council members, Amy Bissett 109 North Elm 76201.

Um, I want to start by addressing a couple of the questions that came up just to provide some clarification while I am opening up uh my slides, which will be brief.

Um so just to answer a couple of questions.

The impetus behind this lot specifically being rezoned from R3 to R7 is um it's a larger lot, it's um three-quarters of an acre essentially, and so um the my client who is a local family that um lives here and is investing in this property as a means of income for themselves.

I just want to clarify that they're not developers that are gonna come in and and and build up a you know a product that they repeat in multiple places.

Um they saw an opportunity to put a small number of units on an infill lot that can contribute to affordable housing and housing diversity in our community.

Um to be more specific, we have analyzed what could be done specifically under R3 zoning.

It would be three single family lots with three homes and three ADUs.

So it would be a total of six units, and we have also analyzed the maximum number of units we could get in under R7, and that is eight units.

So we are proposing with this zoning change to add two units to what's permitted today.

Um so just a quick overview.

We are proposing a duplex unit.

Um we're proposing four lots, eight units.

Um this is an infill project.

There are existing duplexes integrated into the surrounding area.

This map showed shows a little more closely the R7 versus R3.

There's a good mixture of both in along this Elm and Bolivar corridor.

Um this aerial overview shows those properties highlighted in yellow are actually duplexes or multifamily quads today, and those outlined in blue are commercial uses today.

Um, so there is a good mix that is to that what we're proposing is similar in scale to what is existing on the ground today.

I will not go back through this concept plan other than to say we are currently showing 16 parking spaces for per lot, which is the same that would be required under R3 zoning for parking spaces per lot.

We did hold two virtual neighborhood meetings.

We had a couple of attendees.

I think you've all heard from those attendees what their concerns are.

Um we heard about increased traffic on neighborhood streets.

I'm going to show you some trip generation tables.

Um we heard concerns about on-street parking and the current right-of-way width.

Um, this property would be required to provide right-of-way dedication on Talia Farrow, and that they would be required to provide at least 16 off street parking spaces.

We also heard some concerns about the removal of trees, and our preliminary tree preservation analysis shows us preserving 14 of 21 trees.

That obviously will change when we get into grading and civil plans.

But um, the my client is making a strong effort to preserve trees, and I'm gonna go into that in a little a little bit further.

Um, trip generation tables.

This is um from the Institute of Transportation Engineers Manual based on the number of units, the peak traffic in and out within an hour would be four in the morning, four cars in the morning, and five in the evening.

We did hear there's some additional concerns at Planning and Zoning Commission.

We had the neighbor to the north of this lot attend that meeting, but they had um not attended the neighborhood meetings.

Um we we did verify that they were included in our mailing, but they did not see the invitation.

Um, and their concerns were specific that the parking spaces were facing north directly towards their property line, and they had some concerns about um the second-story window view of neighboring properties from this duplex development, as well as the total number of units.

Um, and the reason that there's such a delay between the PNZ meeting in January and today is because we went back to the drawing board and really re-looked at the concept plan.

We met with the neighbors on site, those specifically who border this property to the north, and we drafted a memorandum of understanding to put some commitments in writing to those neighbors that I'll walk through now.

So my client has committed to a 10-foot landscape buffer, preserving the trees within that all can be preserved, and there's some large oak trees along that property border.

Um that that buffer is not a requirement of the base code, so it is an above and beyond commitment.

Um, they've also agreed to replace the existing wood fence between their property line and the property to the north with a new eight-foot wood fence, and they've agreed we've reoriented the parking to have it face south towards the duplex units so that those headlights are not shining into the immediate neighbors' properties.

There was also a request to reduce the number of units from eight to six.

However, our um our client could not agree to that because that's the purpose of the exp of the expense and the effort of this this zoning change is to be able to go from six to eight units to be able to make the the financials work on their end for the investment that they've made.

Under by right, I did um add this slide just so you all have a visual.

We can get three single family lots in there today.

They just barely meet the 10,000 square foot minimum, but they do meet the the dimensional standards of R3, and that would be three detached homes plus three ADUs for a total of six units.

Um they their preference, my client's preference is that they'd be able to build um homes that are all of the same size and character rather than having a main house that has to be uh a certain percentage larger than the ADU.

They'd prefer to be able to have everybody face the street and everybody have a backyard and everybody have dedicated parking spaces.

And um with that, I'll be happy to answer any questions, and I appreciate your time tonight.

Thank you.

Okay, representative district one.

Could you please give a simple definition for what buy right means?

We have a lot of misinformation or just a lack of knowledge of when a new uh structure comes into neighborhoods.

Um, some people are upset and think that you know it's being handed to them, but there is a process.

Would you please share with the audience what by right means?

Yes, ma'am.

So um by right means that the zoning district that is assigned to the property today allows for the development to go in without a public hearing process like we're doing tonight.

So if they were to develop under R3 zoning, they could get six units in by right, meaning without a proposed zoning change.

Um did that answer your question?

That did answer my question because um in I'm just gonna connect it to all of the apartment complexes that are just showing up all of a sudden and and a lot of new things have just shown up all of all of a sudden, and people are you know a bit misinformed or they just don't know how that process works.

So sometimes things that uh happen that we see that come on board, we don't have any control over it, but because they have by right.

But then there's some um sometimes things like this is coming to us when we want to change the zoning to allow that particular structure to happen.

That's when it comes in front of us, and we make a decision publicly as to how we're gonna support that.

I wanted the community to know that because it's a big big talking point within the community.

So thank you so much for that.

Uh I think you know, I think it's just a great idea for uh us as a community to uh you know understand that everything's not going to be perfect all the time in whatever their world they think that they're you know that the think that we should be in, like me, of course.

I had my own issues, but um, you know, we need apartment complexes, we need duplexes, we need you know uh rental units um that look like neighborhoods, you know.

That was something that was asked for.

So what we're trying to do is to just bring everything and feel in field, you know, that's another big thing.

Um there's many people that don't like the sprawl, so then you try to uh come back in and make sure that you're filling in uh appropriately.

So there's a big process for this.

Uh I think that this is a um you know something that I would could definitely support.

Thanks.

Can I clarify one thing that was part of our conversation?

I just want to clarify that multifamily is not permitted under R7 zoning without a specific use permit, which is another public hearing process just like this.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Amy, do you know if this item came back to planning and zoning after the first time in January?

It did not.

So planning and zoning recommended approval unanimously, but they we did express um some commitment to them that we would meet with the neighbors that bordered the property to the north and work through some commitments with them that would help address their specific concerns because they are the most impacted.

So after that, we just came directly here.

Okay.

Um I asked that um because when I watched the video, it was a five-one vote.

So I want to make sure that we're working with accurate information.

We voted against, I don't think they really spoke during the meeting, so I'm not sure what the specific concern was, but I want to make sure we're working with accurate information.

Um so I did watch the meeting, and um what I was gonna ask you was uh what y'all did about the concerns that came up.

A big one for me was the individual to the north.

So I was very glad to hear what solutions y'all came up with and that y'all spent so much time addressing that concern because I certainly wouldn't want you know headlights shining in my um house either.

It was a valid concern.

Right, it was very valid.

Um so since I visited the site on Sunday, I noticed several of the trees appeared to be very distressed and just trying to hang on for dear life.

Like they're they're dying.

Do you know if the 21 trees included some of those really distressed trees?

Would you know that?

I think it probably included every tree.

Okay.

Um I can verify that, but I just knowing what the tree survey looked like.

Um I I believe it included.

The good news is the really bad ones were kind of in the middle of the property and not really the edge, which is look like looks like where you're um saving it.

So um I'll be supporting this item tonight and appreciate um everybody's time.

Okay, it is a public hearing anyone else care to speak, you can do so and fill out a card after the fact, seeing no one move oh, come on up.

You can give you a name, you have four minutes.

Four, yeah, I think four minutes, yes.

Um my name's Sam Bunn.

Uh my address is 2312 Boulevard Street.

I am the North Neighbor.

Um, I guess I want to start off by saying um Amy and the McAdams group has been phenomenal.

You know what I mean?

Um, they've really done a great job to come over and talk to us.

Um they'd send out forms and all this stuff.

We never got them.

We check our mail daily, you know.

We would love to have been part of this plan in the committee.

We met the developer personally when he bought the property.

He never reached out to us personally when we didn't show up to those meetings.

We told him we wanted to be part of this.

We got shut out of that.

I mean, don't get me wrong, they did their due diligence, right?

But we felt like we got sighted on that one.

Okay.

We found out about the original plan at the zoning committee, and that's when we found out that we had 16 cars pointed at our house.

So when we learned really all about zoning, what an R3 was, when an R7 was.

I mean, quite honestly, my wife and I, we bought this property three years ago, right?

Um we make like 20 bucks an hour.

You know, this was 10 years of saving and dreaming and pushing ourselves to sacrifice everything to buy this home.

You know, I I turn wrenches for a living.

You know what I mean?

Um, I work for the for the school district here.

You know what I mean?

I I'm part of this community.

I volunteer, and here I am where I'm looking at a council where it's just like, I'm sorry, I'm I'm I feel very passionate about this because we feel like we're getting crowded out of our neighborhood.

Our neighborhood is quiet, right?

There's small houses on relatively large lots.

We'd like to preserve that.

When we bought our home, we bought our home next to a single family home.

We didn't buy our home next to eight duplexes, you know?

And don't get me wrong, that could be sold, somebody can build, that's fine.

Okay.

I don't really have a problem with anybody making money.

You know, so the developer wants to basically cram as much humanity as possible onto that lot, right?

Now I always hear about how Denton wants to grow.

How about how we want to build new affordable housing for people?

There was a single family home on that lot before, and now they can put six.

So I think that goal has been achieved, right?

Now rezoning and putting eight is basically saying that this man can extract as much profit from my neighborhood.

A neighborhood he doesn't live in.

And to be quite frankly, a neighborhood that none of you live in.

You know what I mean?

So this affects us.

And so we're sitting here and we're asking you guys to please do not approve this zoning.

We'd be much happier with six units versus eight.

That's all we asked for.

Some of our neighbors, they want two units.

They want a single family home, and we're looking at them, we're like, listen.

A compromise is where neither party's fully happy, right?

No, I guess this is America and money talks.

He bought the property, he's been paying all this money to go through the process, and just sounds like you guys were willing to go with it already.

But that's great.

You know what I mean?

Because I mean, I'm sure it looks great from your neighborhoods, you know.

But um, I have to live next to this, and I'm not excited about it.

I'm very happy for the concessions.

I guess a fence makes good neighbors, but he's not a neighbor.

He's a landlord.

You know what I mean?

Um, yes.

That's my time, and I really um want to ask for you guys to not approve this.

Like the whole neighborhood is against this.

There's not a single neighbor who wants this to happen.

I don't get that.

So what are we people on our community?

Or are we about profits for a developer?

Because I mean, this is a good time to make a choice, right?

Thank you.

Thank you.

And you fill out a card afterwards.

Um we can give your name, you have four minutes.

Hello, my name's Liam Gonwakefield.

I've spoken on issues like this before.

When the question was asked, why aren't duplexes put?

It's sort of like this.

It's anything that's not a single family home is said no to.

Anything.

And you know, as a as a renter as somebody that doesn't own a home, it sort of feels I feel sort of put upon every time I hear that.

It's like people are considered the pollution.

It is the difference between those duplexes in the ADUs and the single family homes, is that there's direct benefits from building a duplex, not just having more people in, they're more efficient.

They all like they're standardized.

So that saves on cost too.

And that's two more households that can live in the city of Denton and be my neighbors.

They may be renters, but they're neighbors.

And I remember a few years ago specifically.

This is I guess the reason why I'm a bit raw emotionally on this is that renters aren't neighbors.

I remember hearing that.

It is we need people to live in the city of Denton.

It's inside the loop.

It's near downtown.

It is if we're trying to reduce sprawl, if we're trying to reduce car usage, this is where we want to be building because it's walkable distance from commercial, right?

Nice, nice restaurants nearby there, right?

Nice amenities nearby.

It is we if not here, where?

Is it out in our Argyle?

Out in Sanger, where it and we the fact that the city of Denton has been building housing for two times in a row.

This my rent hasn't gone up.

But before then, every year my rent had went up.

So I enjoy my rent not going up, which my pay hasn't been going up too.

So like the rent not going up keeps me safer and away from homelessness.

Because you never know.

I'm one emergency away, right?

It's not it.

You know, it is.

This helps build a community where it is.

It's like your renters can be neighbors too.

I concede my time.

Thanks.

And and to be fair though, he he did not say that.

Okay, got it.

Okay.

But I just want to I I didn't want to read more into what he said.

Anyone else?

Yeah, come on up, give your name.

You have four minutes.

Hi, uh, my name is Candice Downing.

Um, I graduated from UNT in 2009.

Uh, went out into the world to try and find, you know, whatever you go looking for.

And every neighborhood and every city I moved to that I enjoyed reminded me of Denton.

So when it was time to find a place to settle down, I imported from California and brought him back here.

I told him it was a great town, good place to settle.

Artsy, great culture, um, cares about its people.

Um in the three years since we've bought our home, we've been volunteering at the uh Halloween events and trying to get more involved in the community.

Um I've lived in apartments for a long time and struggled with the density, the crush of humanity around you, and the the difficulty in building relationships in a place where you are that close and you have that many people near you.

And one of the things I was looking forward to about owning a home was making relationships with my neighbors.

And I've done that with a few of them, and I just I know that we need more housing, and three duplexes can go on there right now.

That's six families I can try and make relationships with.

Going through all of this to get two more build like two more households in there, feels like such a reach of money grubbing and profiteering.

I don't understand why there's so much hub to get two more families on there for some money when the people around us are trying to figure out how to make community.

I understand this other guys' need for new housing and affordable housing.

I can walk within a couple miles and find huge apartment complexes being built right now.

Um I do feel like there's a worry about what Mayor Husband said is if we approve this zoning, who knows what's gonna happen in the future?

That creates a lot of uncertainty for our property and our ability to enjoy it.

I have a garden in the back.

Cars, even if they're parked facing the other way, are gonna put exhaust in the air.

We have a duplex behind us.

Um we knew that when we moved in.

It was something that we kind of compromised on when we were looking for a home.

We struggle with people treating it like a parking lot.

They hang out, turn the music up loud, let the car run, hang out in the air, air conditioning because they don't want to go inside or it's just treated like a parking lot.

It's not a home.

It's not driveways and waving hi to your neighbors.

We have the concession of a fence, and all that does is separate us even more from that property and the ability to make friends.

I don't see even what it's zoned for being super pleasant, but it was something we were willing to work with when we purchased this home, and now it's being flipped on us.

Um I'm very nervous, so sorry from rambling on a little bit.

Um I really really hope you guys don't approve this.

Three units duplexes.

That's not three families, that's six families is already a lot to try and manage.

And then there's the addition of uh overnight stays, Airbnbs.

We have a property across the street that has an Airbnb where they listed the wrong address on purpose because they didn't want people to know what the unit was.

Google dropped that pin over our house.

One o'clock in the morning, we're getting people coming to our door asking if we're the Airbnb.

It's very unpleasant.

It doesn't feel safe.

And I wonder how many of these units are gonna get turned into Airbnbs.

How long are people gonna stay in these six-month leases, year-long leases?

I know that renters are neighbors.

I've had some really great rental neighbors, but people tend to treat the property differently when they don't own it.

Um getting close to my time, and uh I'm good there, I think.

Thank you guys.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

And and so uh any other speakers as a public here.

Uh come on up, give your name, you'll have four minutes.

Uh good afternoon.

My name is Esau Reyes.

I am uh I won't I won't take up too much time.

I just want to um be brief and let you guys know a little bit of who I am and who we are.

I am part of uh this development um with my parents and business partners.

I have we have been residents of Denton for 40 years.

We are part of this community.

Um I grew up, I was born and raised just right down the street at Denton Presbyterian.

I did all my schooling here in Denton along with my sister.

I got my bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas.

Um we have seen this community grow.

We used to call it a town, and now we see it as a thriving city.

Um development is here, development.

Um we're not getting away from it, right?

We we love this city as much as the rest of our neighbors.

Um what we want to do is we want to create affordable housing, a different option for housing besides those apartments that we see coming up, besides giving giving people a different a different capability, a different um way of of living, something with a little bit more privacy, something different than just mass construction, right?

We are part of this community and and um and we are um local, right?

We've heard from from Larry Lawrence today, we've heard from from the Chamber of Commerce with uh with Entrepreneurs Week.

Um, and and we we think there's merit in keeping Denton dollars in Denton at the end of the day.

You know, we're not a big developer, we're not we're not building huge apartment complexes.

Um we just we're we're we're a family that saw an opportunity and and and that's that's all we're trying to accomplish.

Okay.

Um so first, let me get let me make sure there's no other speakers so I can close this.

Any other speakers they want to speak?

Come on up.

If you can give your name, you have five minutes, four minutes.

Sorry.

I don't need that much time.

My name is Denise Galetta.

I live on I live on Bolivar.

I moved here last year.

My daughter loved Denton.

She wants she got me to move up here.

And I really like the street that I'm on, and I'm really concerned about what is gonna be built there now.

Um I I when when they say about four units, I don't see how they're gonna fit that on there.

I I hope they get the compromise of just the three units.

Um I live near that big other building that I don't know who um the Airbnb and is it's Bob.

I live on such a nice street, and I just hate to see the neighborhood just kind of fold up and change.

Um, so I'm hoping that we can get a compromise where um we can all be happy.

I never heard about other meetings either.

So I've been like I was here in January, and then I didn't hear anything else until I met my neighbor the other day.

So I'm just hoping we can compromise and keep all of our.

I mean it has that nice flavor of maybe older Denton that's changing, but it's a really nice uh street, and I like living here and hope it could I can stay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um anyone else could have speaking it is a public hearing, you can come down and speak, fill out a card after the fact.

See no sudden movements, I'll close the public hearing.

Representative from District Five.

Thanks, Mayor.

Amy, I've got one for you.

Since the door was open, I'm gonna walk through it.

Can you speak to potential price points?

Are you that far in the development process yet?

Do they know?

Um, I cannot speak to potential price points, but I can um potentially get the property owner to speak to it.

Do we that would be great?

Yeah, I'm I'm gonna that's my exact question.

Both of y'all mentioned affordable, so uh quantify that.

Thank you, Mayor.

They are not far enough in the process that they've set pricing, so I'm sorry.

Well, go ahead, because I'm uh I'm gonna try to calm down.

Go ahead.

You want to get it, you're gonna get it.

No, go right ahead.

Okay.

Um Amy, you've done a great job as you always do.

But um this this makes this a more difficult vote than it should be because you're not far enough down the road.

When people come to us and they have concerns, it's our job to address concerns.

And what we're essentially being told is that y'all are trying to squeeze two more units so you can squeeze every drop of juice out of fruit, right?

If you had potential price points that you're gonna sell these units for, then we could say, hey, you all responsible developers, you're not doing that.

But without that information, people are gonna think what they're gonna think.

Now I have no, I don't think that you all are doing anything nefarious, obviously.

Uh, I am very much in favor of infill development.

This this is good.

I'm glad to see that we all agree with renters being our neighbors, right?

I got elected to this seat as a renter, so yes, I understand what it's like to be a rental.

I'm I'm supportive of that.

I wish you all had some idea of what you're gonna rent these for.

It would make this process a lot easier for us.

You stood before us several times, and you know how this process works.

Um I guess I'll just leave it on.

I'm disappointed to see that that we don't know yet, without you all knowing.

I think part of that is they're not developers, so they don't have uh history of okay.

We know that this can rent for this, we know what the market is.

This is their um, this is a a new investment and a new um endeavor, and so um they're they're learning along the way, I think.

So very respectful of that, but you've been doing this a long time.

Surely when they came and sat down in your office, you said, hey, here are some potential price points.

If you do six, you can maybe rent them for this.

If you do seven, you can have this.

If you do eight, you can have this.

We did not have that conversation.

Our conversation was here's the size of the lot.

They originally came to us with the idea of doing some quadplexes and duplexes.

We did an analysis of the zoning that was on the property and the dimensional standards of other options and determined that um the best they could do in terms of building units on that lot would be four duplexes, but just based on the the constraints of the zoning.

We presented a few different uh zoning options to them.

We've presented going with um R7 with an SUP to allow all of them to be on one lot, and that might have gotten a couple of more, but they chose not to go that route.

So we went with um a zoning that we felt like was more consistent with the with the neighbor, the existing neighborhood.

I hear you.

Um gosh, I again I'm I'm disappointed.

I don't typically do too many things, undertake ventures this large without exactly knowing what the numbers are gonna be.

Fair enough.

I just don't believe that yeah, thanks, Mayor.

Okay, yeah, I'm gonna be very concise because we gotta get going.

And for those that don't know, for for item six A, I hazard the guess most of y'all that's next.

Uh, I I need the blue cards in hand before I call item.

If once I call the item, we're not accepting blue cards, and no, you won't be able to speak.

So if you would care to speak on 6A, uh please go ahead and fill those out, get those turned in, because that is next.

Uh that said, uh Amy, you specifically said affordable housing in your presentation.

Esau came up specifically and said affordable housing.

This group, this body has talked about it, and you know to no end that Jesse's done the math that's 60% AMI is affordable in Denton.

All the other issues that have come up with affordable to Dallas versus avoidable in Denton.

We've had this conversation for at least the last four months.

And for you to come up to the podium and say affordable, knowing what it means, knowing we have a clear definition for Denton, and then not knowing a number, that's disingenuous to me.

And it's not intended to be.

But it you can't just throw words around like that saying, hey, vote for this project because affordable housing, and you don't know that the housing is gonna be affordable.

That's the first question I wrote down.

How much?

Yeah.

Frustrating.

And and I'm I'm with the neighbors on this uh because I don't see a need to change the zoning.

I do see an issue with uh staff doesn't see it, but I see it.

Because here's what happens.

Now that's R7.

Now their house, when they go to the appraisal district, says your house is worth more.

So now they get taxed out of their home.

Then it just it works down its way.

And and if it and if you don't believe me, go look at an old map and look at Skinner Street.

Skinner Street used to have houses on both sides, and then one by one that went away, and Morrison Milling bought them all, and now they're all gone, and they're not coming back.

So you can get because in your narrative, it outlines that you can do, and we've we've been per intentional about ADUs, and we've been intentional about those those things.

So I think you can absolutely do the six, and I don't have to worry about 10 years from now or a month from now, you change your mind because they have every right to do so.

I'm not they're not we can't make them build anything.

So they could get a zoning for R7 and sell it.

It it happens, and that's okay.

But I'm not gonna be complicit in that.

And and so I think the um somebody has support the neighbors.

I don't know that we have the votes, but I'm in.

So uh go right ahead.

I um I want to speak on behalf of the of my client here for a moment.

Um in the event that this is going towards a denial, they would like to ask for a postponement to continue to work with the neighbors rather than um just this being the final vote.

Yeah, I I don't know how to project project that uh Mayor Pro Tim.

Appreciate it.

Um just speaking to the affordability item.

While these may not be affordable in the 30% AMI type of thing, it's more affordable than um building a house at this location.

I don't know how much the property was purchased for, but I saw that the ASCII price when it was for sale was about 150,000 one sixty something like that.

So if you build one home on it, actually, before you build a home, you're you're already 150,000.

Um and so price per square foot on a very low end home, teeny tiny for today's standards 1300 square foot home, you're looking at a 355,000 home for a 1,300 square foot home.

Estimate between the land and the cost.

So by subdividing it into four or three lots, you're bringing the cost, the land cost per unit down, which allows them to offer the the rent at a at a lower price point um the more units you spread the land cost across.

Um so you know, four units or four lots, it spreads the the land cost amongst four properties, eight units, um which brings down the total cost and the total rent ultimately per unit.

If it's um three lots instead, that will be a more expensive um rent ultimately because the land value will be spread across fewer properties, so it's more land that they have to pay for um through the rent.

So fewer um housing units in this case will be a higher cost overall, and certainly a single family home will be completely unaffordable for most people in Denton.

I just wanted to clarify that.

Can I follow up with that with a question?

Understanding we can't regulate that, understanding we can't set that price.

How can you confidently communicate to those that would be affected that you know how much they're gonna charge?

They could be they could be luxury, uh they could add amenities, they could the mark the rate could, you know.

How do you how do you in confidence project project predict that having no control over it?

All I know is that the cost of the land and the construction put together, you're not gonna charge rent that's so low that you lose money because who would do that, right?

So could they go higher?

Yes, they can, but there's no guarantees, there's no guarantees any time we allow a home to be built, that it's not gonna be super high price point.

So it's really whatever people um can pay, but I can tell you that the there's no opportunity to go with a lower rent if the cost does not allow it.

Okay, yeah.

Representative from district six.

Um, after hearing what I've heard uh tonight and seeing what I've seen, um I would like to make a motion at this time to table this to allow uh the applicant to uh have time to meet with some of the neighbors and see if there is some kind of accommodation that can um uh alleviate some of the concerns or or look at the design, etc.

So I'd like to make that motion at this time.

Is there a second?

Um second.

Okay, we have a motion by council member Jester to postpone second by um council member McGee.

Discussion, discussion.

Uh you still have the floor, councilman just if you'd like.

Are you good?

Um, just that uh you know, I think everyone's coming to the table in good faith.

Um I I don't know that I think um this is going to pass or necessarily should pass in its current state, and so um I think when we have parties willing to come together and discuss, why not give them the opportunity if both sides are asking uh for that pause?

So that is why uh I'm I'm willing to make that motion.

Representative district five.

Um my hope is that um, and yes, thank you for fun in the middle ground, Councilmember Jester.

Um, I'm seconding because I hope that when you all come back, you'll have a number.

If if I'm in this I'm in the seat when you all come back, and you don't have a number, I will vote no.

Um, I want to be very honest with the community.

Um I'm I'm fine with the zoning change.

But what really threw me off is that you didn't have a number.

I don't just don't believe that you undertook a project this this vast without knowing exactly how much you're gonna get from each rental unit.

That disappoints me greatly.

Generally, I'm in favor of housing in for development is good for environmental reasons.

As I said, I got elected to the seat as a renter, so I understand what it's like.

I'm generally in favor of this.

I hope that I leave a legacy of creating more due places and townhomes while I've been on council.

Having said that, you gotta have a number.

Okay, we have a motion and a second.

Any other discussion?

Seeing none, let's vote on the screen.

This is that is correct.

Mr.

Mayor?

Yes, sir.

Are we putting is the motion to the date certain or date uncertain?

We didn't specify.

I did not specify, and it's a date uncertain.

Uh I don't I did not see the need to have a date certain.

So if they want to take it for a year, if they want to take it for a month, uh that is not part of my motion.

Okay.

All right, we have a motion and second.

This is to propone yet, postpone yes or no.

Uh vote on the screen, please.

That passes six.

I would I voted didn't take.

Okay.

If you can set it back up again.

That's uh councilmember Jester motion and seconded by Councilmember McGee.

I know vote on a screen, please.

That passes 7-0.

Takes us to uh our items for individual consideration.

Uh first is item 6A ID 260757.

Consider adoption of ordinance of the city of Denton, approving and authorizing the city manager to execute a lease agreement with the Denton City Federation of Women's Clubs for the approximately 1800 18,000 square feet of land located on at 610 Oakland Street, situated at in Oakland pardon me, uh Quakertown Park for 20-year initial term with two 10-year uh renewals and providing an effective date.

Sorry, it doesn't want to open one moment.

I got it.

I think you might have a button getting pressed in my paper.

Okay.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Christine Taylor, Assistant City Manager.

I'm here tonight to talk through the proposed ground lease agreement between the City of Denton and the Denton City Federation of Women's Club.

So current conditions, the city currently holds a land lease agreement with the Denton City Federation of Women's Clubs.

The lease was originally executed in 1927 for a total of one dollar for the full term of the agreement, which is 99 years and set to expire this August.

And the building is located within Quaker Town Park and is designated as a local historic landmark.

Prior council discussion on the item in September of 2022, council held a work session to explore ways to commemorate the former Quaker town residents.

Several items were discussed during this presentation on how to incorporate memorials.

A living museum was talked about, memorial markers in the park, a healing garden.

Several topics were discussed, and ultimately, council direction was provided to incorporate memorial elements into the design downtown Denton plan.

In 2024, the plan was adopted and focused on redesign of Quakertown Park to acknowledge the layered history, but pointing out that it did not include use of the women's club building as a museum space, which was originally discussed in 2022.

So this agreement today is based on direction from council with goals to really make sure that we take the agreement from the 20s and clarify items in a new existing lease.

So the proposed lease is drafted using framework to balance community benefit focused on missions and goals, and then make very clear choices and decisions for the future decision makers, which would be council at the end of the terms.

So the term included in the agreement is an initial 20-year lease with two 10-year optional renewals.

Each of those optional renewals would be subject to the future council's approval.

This would give the agreement a potential 40-year term.

One key change in the lease from the 1920s to the proposed lease is a reducing the footprint from around approximately 29,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet.

The major change in this footprint it is the land right under the building, and it removes has no exclusive parking.

So parking that would have been part of that prior lease now becomes public parking.

We did a land valuation of fair market value.

One major key change from the 1927 lease to now is the fair market value is approximately 27,720 a year.

There's two components to make up this fair market value.

So the federation will pay an annual rent of 1,320 with a CPI adjustment every five years.

The second component to meet that fair market value is a community benefit portion that would provide in kind.

The city would receive 24 full day rentals annually.

This can be for municipal use or city sponsored events.

So the city can conduct programming through parks and rec through libraries, or we can offer those up as in kind for city sponsored events such as history lectures, whatever type of programming the city wants, we'll have 24 full-day rentals.

An additional key term is a historical marker will be installed within 180 days of the lease commencement.

So again, this lease is really focused on what is the public purpose, and we have defined this in the agreement through the mission and goals of the federation.

The federation operates as a nonprofit for exclusively for charitable education and literary purposes in the community.

They have outlined detailed goals in the agreement, and the mission of their club is to further common good and general welfare of the Denton community by promoting broader cultural culture and the mutual improvement of public and literature, music, and art.

Another important component of this proposed lease is annual goals that the women's federation will be required to meet.

The federation will present no fewer than three public programming annually that promote cultural enrichment in the Denton community.

This can include, as we discussed, lectures, performances, or educational events held at the building and are open to the general public.

Also, community fundraising and building stewardship is part of their mission and goals that they will be required to meet.

So the federation will conduct fundraising activities in support of the preservation and maintenance of the building.

They already host several of these things and participate, and activities include participation in Denton Arts and Jazz Festival, the Footlight Fundraising Series, where they host numerous events in their building with those profits going towards the nonprofits and the community, Denton Holiday Lighting and other events designated to generate community support.

The agreement also includes reporting requirement where they will annually submit a report to the city, which will come before the parks and recreation and beautification board to demonstrate how they're meeting their annual goals of the prior year, what's the condition of the building, and then the capital plan, as well as the federation's plans for the next year.

One big part of the prior agreement from the 20s is that there was a lot of ambiguity in the agreement of what happens at the end.

And so this agreement that is proposed this evening includes very clear options for the future council.

And we have a term in there that one year prior to any termination period, the city, the options for the future council are the city and the federation can agree on a new lease, the federation may remove the building from the site, or the city may purchase the building at fair market value.

If none of those items occur within 180 days after expiration, the city has the option to transfer the ownership of the building or take ownership or the city take ownership.

If the federation dissolves at any point during the current during the proposed lease or is in default, the building may transfer to a successor nonprofit, which would be selected by the city.

And so just one clarification before we go.

I have several blue cards, obviously, but staff recommends how how did we come to staff recommending these things?

It's treated as a real estate item, so we held um closed session meetings to discuss it, but the term options are based on council direction.

Thank you.

That's important to note.

Okay.

So trying to think.

Questions for staff initially, and then we'll start with the cards.

So questions for staff.

Mayor Pro Tim.

I just have a couple of questions.

Um to clarify some stuff.

Who paid to construct the building originally?

The building was constructed by the women's federation.

So they paid for it.

Um who paid who has paid to maintain the building over the past 99 years?

The women's federation.

So the city did not um pay to construct the building or to maintain the building.

Correct.

Okay.

That's all I have right now.

Thank you.

Representative from District 5.

Yeah, I've just got one right now.

So 24 days of programming that we can have.

What happens if there's a conflict with something they want to do?

We've talked through that.

We've put in the agreement that within 60 days of execution of this agreement, we will work collaboratively to outline terms on how we're going to select the days, build in flexibility.

Of course, we don't want to put such tight parameters that it interferes with a paid rental for them, but we're going to work collaboratively on selecting those and programming them.

And again, I just want to note the 24 in-kind days.

The city, we can program those however we want for lectures in kind use city-sponsored events.

Thank you, Christine.

Representative for District 2.

Thank you.

Can you remind us when the actual lease expiration is the date?

Yes, it is August 6th, 2026.

This August.

Thank you.

Any other questions for staff?

I just have one.

You mentioned these we started communication in 2022.

Correct.

Do you know what how that was that notice was provided or sent, or do you have a feel for that?

I do.

Um that first engagement uh talking about what ways could we do the commemoration of former residents of Quaker Town began in 2022.

That conversation started with city staff and the women's federation, and uh then we started to receive some public comment, and then that was held as a city council work session on September 13th, 2022.

So that would have been notice in the normal we send out our.

Okay, got it.

Okay.

Representative from District 4.

Yeah, do you know how many days or parts of days the women's club building is used per year?

I do.

They had 53 rentals in the last year.

Um however many that is.

Roughly once a week.

Right.

They they do various programming, and Karen is here who can speak on that, but it is used for a mix of private rentals and then nonprofit use too.

Very good.

Thank you.

Okay, great.

See no other questions.

First speaker is Sean Treat.

If you can come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Four to six.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All right.

Three months.

Hi, Sean Treat.

Uh Denton Local.

Uh noteworthy today's vote on the 1928 women's club building lease is taking place exactly one month after the 105th anniversary of the vote to remove Quakertown on April 5th, 1921.

In that citywide election, the force removal of the Quaker African American district narrowly passed by only 127 votes.

Um, a mere 4% of registered voters of that time.

That stolen land was taken using the laws under Jim Crow, same laws that denied black citizens a voter of voice in that high stand, even excluded them from the city park that today bears their name.

Tonight, y'all are having a very different vote here in city chambers, but I hope the weight of this timely occasion is indeed felt by all present.

And I'm likely surprised a few folks tonight by not delivering the history lecture.

Um, also I'm not entirely opposed to this legal lease between the city and women's club with the qualifying, yes, but if I'm here to urge city council to table tonight's vote on this new legal contract for the 1928 women's clubhouse that just came out of the kitchen a few days ago.

A vote to temporarily table a decision on this lease would allow civic dialogue on restorative justice that can lead from hurt to healing and towards necessary reconciliation between our Denton communities and neighbors.

This needed dialogue has been over 100 years in the making.

And to be clear, no one involved is here tonight to blame for injustices from a hundred years ago.

But we are all responsible for what we do or do not do here and now.

So let's not make time our enemy.

So history is instructive.

The 1960s didn't women's interracial fellowship showed us the path we must take together.

If you, our city council enable some time to do the right thing, as Spike Lee said, uh the right way.

Time to listen together, time to talk together, time to create the inclusive united communities of Denton neighbors that everyone here truly wants together.

I truly believe every single one of you behind the desk wants to do what's best for Denton.

All of you put in countless work hours, campaigning and governing, not just because you believed you can make Denton better, but because every one of you wanted to.

So today's women's club is also actually very amazing in all the work they do.

Um I just want to point out that during the Denton Black Film Festival, uh, they lost space suddenly because of the weather closure.

Uh, some ladies from the Denton uh women's club stepped forward and gave them space.

Um, and working with them in conversations uh that have been encouraged uh with the Denton Women's Club and some ladies from Southeast Denton have been very helpful, they've been open and sincere in their desire for amends.

And you guys didn't women are amazing.

I mean, from from history, I can tell you didn't women get stuff done.

So, indeed, um if you table this vote, your legacy on council record that you voted in favor of community collaboration, inclusion, and an opportunity for healing unity.

Let these Denton women cook and table the vote tonight so they bring back a savory solution with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

And I have a I have a question for you.

Sure.

So what do you propose be done?

What do I so what would be what's the appropriate amount of time to delay?

You're asking for delay, how how much time or what metrics as far as as how many people because you're always gonna have people that say they didn't hear, right?

So how many people is your target and how much time is your target?

That's that's a great question, but I feel like that that has to come from the community conversations.

I mean, we know we have until August.

You guys have a lease in front of you now, isn't that correct?

Well, well, we can't wait till that then, right, to execute it because but but I that's not my question is simply you you suggested a pause, and I'm my question is how do you in your mind address the person that comes up in August, let's say, and says, I didn't know anything about this, because again, this conversation started in 2022.

So sort of.

I mean, if you look at the HLC documents that were attached, there was actually an advisory letter, and some of the history was run through that 2022 meeting did indeed, but there's some material in there that I think is good in terms of possible solutions.

There have been some great possible things that could happen, but we just needed to a little more to cook.

Yeah, but uh yeah.

I got it.

I'm not gonna belabor the point.

And I'm and I did read the letter, and I do take issue with you saying there there could have been wealth.

You said there could have been wealth carried over from those families.

That's certainly possible, but you also have to argue the other side of that.

Having watched Sarah's oil, it's a based on a documentary in uh in Oklahoma where a young lady discovered oil, went through all the challenges that we go through, uh, but then she and she was became wealthy, but then she lost it in the Great Depression.

And and and so we don't know, we can't draw a straight line of that.

I I took a little issue with that liberty in the letter.

What's that?

Okay, yes, sir.

Yeah, no, no.

And so um that that's that's what's before us is a lease, and I'm trying to quantify you're asking us to quantify our delay of time, and so I'm trying to everyone that's coming up and asking for that, they're gonna get the same question.

What how much time are you talking about, and what's the milestone for when we get there, and someone says, I didn't know, and we need to do it again.

Well, we have two months uh between now and August, a little two and a half months really.

But uh the idea is to at least create some time for there to be some agreements that would be put in place.

There's again there's some ideas in the historic landmark commission's recommendations, and there's also community benefit agreement might come about.

And to that point, it took you, if I remember right, three months to get a draft out.

Is that right for your his for the historic landmark commission?

No.

Three meetings.

No, I know it wasn't voted on, but to get out what they got out, it took what two meetings?

It took uh a target.

If do we want to do it?

Yes, we will do it, and then we have a draft in by the end of the month for the next meeting.

And so in that next meeting, we were to edit it.

There were some edits recommended, and it was kicked to the next month, which is why we're now looking at our meeting next week is when we're gonna be editing the document.

Right.

Yeah, no, it's so but I understand what you're saying because that's exactly right because it's like how many meetings does it take to get from A to B.

Yes, and and we have a deadline.

But thank you very much.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh next is oh, I'm sorry.

I beg your pardon.

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

Uh Representative District 4.

You you might pick a pick it's 90 days actually from tomorrow.

Tomorrow's May 6th.

That's three months.

90 days.

Yes, sir.

What what is your solution in 90 days?

The solution in 90 days.

Yeah, yeah.

What what what is the resolution of this?

Well, um in your mind, how does how does this get rectified where you're where you're pleased with it?

Well, for me, it involves some type of element for public conversations, um, and especially about things to do uh together collaboratively uh understand the community fill that in.

Yeah, yeah.

Fill that in.

Tell me what that looks like.

Have have some public meetings, have some public meetings so that we can actually have uh discuss a couple of options, maybe for what kinds of things would like to be seen there.

There were comments that were taken from people that did include historic uh use that did include perhaps museum elements were even brought up, but those things were not carried forward.

So, what what would that look like?

And what are the possibilities there?

And I feel like that if we let them talk, I think they could come to some agreements.

All of my lifetime, according to the to the backup, they have done charitable educational and literary projects there.

Would you want any more, any less of that?

Sure, just include more people.

Include more groups and more organizations.

They have an umbrella, the Denton Women's Club is an umbrella itself for several different groups.

Um we need some more exclusive groups, but they're not restricting anyone, are they?

To my understanding, not currently.

But I think that's something that needs that's not the perception in the community.

I think there needs to be some community work.

Well, it's it is a women's building.

I mean, it's not her.

It's not you and me building, but but there I mean, it seems to me that they're doing a fine job and have for a hundred years.

But charitable, educational and literary.

I mean, there's no nobody else can do that in Denton.

Nobody else is doing that in Denton.

Okay, thank you.

Appreciate it.

Go go go right if you have something going briefly, go right ahead.

I don't want to cut y'all off.

Sure.

Um, well, the there is a history of of exclusionary uh people who could or couldn't be members of the women's club, of course.

That hasn't been true for uh hold on, hold on.

You yeah, yeah, that hasn't been true for modern time, but there is a PR problem that needs to be addressed.

Okay, okay, and and and I hear you.

Um I beg your pardon, Mayor.

I have never been a member of the women's club, never.

Right.

But I have been to numbers of events at the women's club building.

Absolutely.

Okay, I okay.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, next speaker is uh Pat Rinkey.

If you can come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Hi, thank you, council and mayor for letting me.

And if you can adjust that down so we can hear you better, thank you.

I guess I am short.

Yeah, uh, so thank you for letting me speak.

And uh I've been a resident in Denton since the 80s, and I have been to the women's club many times for many events over the years, piano recitals, and uh weddings, funerals, showers, uh educational lectures, and um charity fundraisers.

So the women's club has provided uh a great service to the community at an affordable rate, it's open to the public, and it's not exclusionary in that way at all.

So, what I would say is I would like for the council to vote to uh approve the lease.

And um I know there's a lot of ladies that have been working very hard to maintain the building all these years, and they're really go getters, and they just want to continue the work.

So thank you for considering approving the lease for the next however many years.

Okay, thank you.

Next speaker is Louise Griffith.

If you come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Hello, my name's Louise Griffith.

I live at 910 Haynes Street in Denton.

If you accept as the city of Denton has what historical record research tells us that in 1921, a thriving black community was involuntarily removed from their established residences and businesses.

How can you justify continuing injustice by renewing the lease for a group that was historically part of that effort in 2006?

Didn't decided to begin the healing process by renaming the park in honor of that community, Quakertown.

More time is needed to engage the public in this decision to renew the lease, most especially engaging members of the women's club in their role in continuation of the healing process.

In conclusion, I urge you post to postpone your decision.

As I'm processing your request, how do I pin all of the wrongs of that entire era on this one group?

So there's TWU, there's the city of Denton, there's uh, and on that same property.

Can staff pull up that map by the way, please, of Quaker Town.

So how do we uh from Ditton ISD had segregated schools?

Like how do we put all of that on this one discussion?

Like that that's I just need to understand how to parse that out.

Does that make sense?

I feel I feel like the women's building and its history is emblematic of what happened back in 1921.

But so I as I said in my statement, we need to incorporate the win the women of the women's building in helping this healing process.

Let them come forward with some ways to uh reconcile what's happened in the past.

I don't hold them responsible, but I think they need that this Quaker Town Park concept includes the women's building and what happened there.

I I agree, but looking at this map, this is the original layout of it of the of Quakertown, and so it incorporates a civic center pool, uh the the senior center, and so are those buildings entities culpable as well because they they took advantage of the land that was stolen, right?

Yeah, so they should be held accountable.

Well, the in the sense that the concept of Quaker town has been acknowledged, but I don't know that the women's building has acknowledged it.

This is what I would like to learn, or the women's clubs have acknowledged it.

Right.

Okay, but I I I just that I I you uh you and I'm not gonna belabor it, but that was my question is how I understand the women's club, but also the city was took part in that.

TW took part in that, the citizens voted on it, uh understanding there was restrictions, but but even you know, uh there's there's other people that benefited, and so I I just was curious how to how we parse that out, how do we make hold everyone accountable?

But equally we should.

Yes, we should.

I agree.

But we're not talking about everyone, we're talking about the women's club building.

But I think we should be talking about everyone.

That but that's not what's happening today.

I understand, but that no, a ground lease is today before us.

Uh a issue of reconciling a past wrong is that's everyone's responsibility.

And I'm just I I may be wrong, but that's that's my opinion.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You may be wrong.

That's right.

Yeah.

Wait, there's uh there's nobody else that had a uh they want to he wants a chance to be wrong too.

He has a question.

And and ma'am, I I I missed your name, which I simply missed your name.

You didn't know my name?

I'm sorry.

Louise Griffiths.

Miss Griffith, thank you.

Um relation to Ernest Griffith.

No.

Okay.

Municipal management in North Texas.

Okay, okay.

Um I have a problem.

Mayor, I have a problem with the term stolen.

Land that was stolen.

Was I did not say stolen.

I know you didn't.

I said the mayor.

I said I called the mayor.

Eminent domain.

Was that not used to to uh to to take that property?

It was.

No.

Eminent domain.

No.

It's my understanding of eminent domain that fair market value of property is paid at that time.

So we're talking about 1926, right?

Right?

21.

Okay.

1921.

I want to give you a real world example.

In 1996, I bought a piece of property on Withers Street, 409 Withers Street.

The house is there right now.

It's a beautiful house.

I paid $35,000 for it.

This is 77-0.

This is 70 years after the land was uh was bought for the park.

If my house was, and I paid, I mean, I went, it was on the open market.

You could have bought it.

I bought it for $35,000.

My question is, how much was that house in 1921?

If it was 35,000 in 1996, how much was it in 1921?

So we're not gonna have that.

Does that have to do with that?

Well, I'm just I'm just saying that that that was it half of that, 17,000, a quarter of that, 7,000.

Uh it it probably wasn't a great deal of money in our understanding of of modern dollars, but I but I bet it was fair market.

I it's it's it's a rhetorical, it's a rhetorical question.

Okay, thank you, Ms.

Griffith.

Thank you.

Next speaker, uh Reverend Uh Logan.

If you can come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Thank you, ma'am.

My name is Reginald Thomas Logan, living 705 Park Lane in the city of Denton.

Longtime city resident, love the city of Denton.

I come today to and I'm listening to the different people that come before you.

I'm a pastor for 27 years, and you guys are pastors of the city.

And I'm asking you today to come and postpone the the lease of the women's building.

This is the reason why.

Uh there was a vision in 1921.

Now we have a new vision in the 2040 plan.

I was so proud to be on the 2040 plan committee for a year.

And it outlined in that group, we said that we re said the vision, the Quake Town Park holds whole the untold layers of history and story within his pastorial landscape.

So you pastors, I'm asking you to help your members of your congregation, the women's building, which I'm telling you, some nice ladies over there.

And mayor, no, Ezekiel 18 says you should not put the sins of the father on the sons.

That's what the Lord said.

First, he said, put it on the sun.

Later on in the Z do not put the sins of the Father to the Son.

So we're not trying to put the sins of the United Women of the Civil War and Federation.

We're not trying to put that on these ladies at the at the building.

No, we're only asking that the vision is only lived up to for the women's building.

When people come to me and my congregation and have ideas, I ask them only one thing.

Does your idea work and coincide with the vision of this congregation?

They say, Oh, I never thought about that.

I read them the vision, and we have a vision here that's going to incorporate the women's building.

So between now and 2040, it's up to you guys and the people to come after you to incorporate the women's building as being part of Quaker Town Park.

Now, when I had my family reunion here in 24 2024, and I gave a tour through the Quaker building.

I have my little speaker, and I took all my family members, and they somebody asked me a question.

I'm a preacher, I get wound up.

Somebody asked me a question.

They said, Well, what's that building over there, Logan?

I said, Well, that's another story.

I said, But we got this whole park.

We got 32 acres.

They said, but what you gonna do about that building?

Is that building part?

That library said, you can't touch the library, and that's Emily Fowler.

We can't we can't rename that, we can't mess with that.

But say, but what is that building for?

So then I had to go and tell them the history of the building.

Now I don't want them to come back in 2040, and we've redone the downtown plan and the Quaker Park, and everything is renewed and everything is beautified and everything is history of Quakertown.

I don't want them to ask me, what about that building?

So I think between us and the women's building, the the officers there can come together and come up with a plan that would incorporate the women's building of the Quaker Town Park.

Yeah, and I agree, and I have a question.

Yes, sir.

So how's the make the connection for me with a ground lease and and you said it?

I'm gonna use your words.

A plan for the entire park.

Right.

So if they lease the building, yes, and you have a plan for the entire park, can't both those work together?

Sure.

If they allow me to change the name of the building, if I can go to seven Quaker Town Park and I reach over to that building and say that building is now Quaker Hall, and within that building, I got artifacts that talks about Fred Grocery Store that was on that land.

If I can do that, then they can be governing boards of that building, and they can rent the building out still, they can gain the money from the building.

They're the governing party of the building, but the building is only called Quaker Town Hall.

But that's all a master.

But this is the thing.

If if we don't own, if we don't have naming rights to the building, shouldn't you have that naming rights conversation with the people that have naming rights to the building?

Well, I'm leaving that up to the pastors to bring the two flocks together and make that happen.

I'm I'm I'm saying, I'm saying we're happy to facilitate conversations, but but as it stated early in the in the conversation, we didn't build a building.

We didn't maintain the building.

Right.

And I hazard to guess if the city showed up to my house and said, hey, we're gonna change the name of your house, we would have a problem because I pay for that.

And so there's decent in an order comes into play.

Yeah, you're right, Mayor.

But if someone told you that my father stole that house from you, they say, well, but that was our land.

I just built my house on it.

And you and then you come back to them and say, Well, can I make it right with you?

What can I do so we can come together as brothers and sisters and bring the two flocks together and make it a harmonious between all of us?

Sure.

You say, Well, I'd like for you to change that name of that building to reflect what my father did.

I don't know what I would say to him.

I might say yes, may say no.

Worthy conversation.

And I'd love to have the conversation about the fact that my folks couldn't live on the other side of Carroll Street.

You're very aware.

I know.

So all those historic homes in here in Oak and all and all those areas, they're gonna come down here and tell me about what I need to do, and they benefit from that same thing you're talking about.

The same system said we couldn't move over there.

Right, right, right, right.

So it I'm just saying, if we go and let's get them all, if we're gonna get them.

But if you're gonna give me an opportunity, if if I had not if I'd known about this earlier, and I'll close with this mayor, I go around to the five historical churches when I want them to know about what's going on in Southeast Didden or what affects the the Quaker Town descendants.

I go around to each one of those congregations because I'm a pastor, I ask for five minutes and let them know do you guys really understand or even care about the women's building?

Here's what's going on.

That's what I do.

But if you give me that chance, I'll do that starting June, and I'll go to every historical church, and if I get enough time left, I'll go to the other eight churches that I know in Southeast didn't and tell them what's going on, so they'll have no problem with the women's building, and they'll know that the women's building is open to everybody to use, and they're not any type of group that's standing on laws that were bringing up by the daughters of the Confederacy or the Federation of Women that had anything against black folks.

These people are not against black people.

Right.

I have I've had meetings there, I've gone to weddings there.

I'm you get me, don't get me started.

Hey.

I've been treated right there.

Okay.

I was just there just a couple of months ago with a group of women had a had rented the facility.

I've been there.

They these are good people.

I met with Karen with Reeds and with some of the people.

They're good people.

They're good folks.

I'm just asking them when it comes time for the 2040 plans to come to fruition, can we incorporate that building so it reflects all of Quaker Town Park?

That's the only thing I'm asking.

Yes, sir.

That's all I think.

Okay.

Next speaker is Francis Punch.

If you can give your name, you'll have three minutes.

I'm Francis Punch, 2002 Wisteria Street.

Hello, Mayor and City Council.

The navigation of the lease process for the women's building, which originated with the daughters of the Confederacy, is not a typical lease procedure.

The history surrounding this building and the events of Quaker Town creates a considerably different set of circumstances that cannot be denied.

This property was taken, and the building is the reward.

Therefore, a typical approach does not apply here.

The urgency in which this new lease is being presented creates a significant amount of suspicion, especially when the meetings were meetings surrounding the renewal of the lease were held in private.

The new lease was signed 429-26.

The commencement date is set for today.

Effective immediately.

Hold on, I can't I can't hear.

So uh you have a question.

Representative District Five.

No, just want to let you know your point is well taken, well done.

Um, but just for those uh paying attention, um, we do have private entities operating on public land, and what comes to mind and most immediately is the airport.

That's all our land, although hangers are built and businesses are operating out of there, just as an example.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, ma'am.

Well done.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

Uh Christine, can you switch to the the document on notification that was provided, please?

Yes.

Uh yeah, thank you.

Appreciate it.

And I would say the other slide is that that's the most recent, and then we'll toggle back and forth.

Okay, thank you.

Uh next speaker, Tanya G I L B E A U X.

Sorry, I didn't want to mispronounce.

If you can give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Mr.

Mayor, Council members, good evening.

I hope you all are doing well.

My name is Tanya Gilbo.

And I'm gonna ask you to, yeah, thank you.

You can adjust it wherever.

Yes.

Okay, my name is Tanya Gilboa.

I reside at 603 Bolivar.

I encourage a no or tabling response from the city council concerning the Denton City Federation of Women's Lease Renewal.

The 99-year lease ends August 5th, 2026, not May 5th, 2026.

The current active lease does not provide an option for lease renewal prior to or at the end of the of the current lease term.

Why is the city council making amendments to the current lease without public and stockholder input?

Transparency by the city is crucial.

Public input is necessary, especially from residents with ties to Quaker Town.

The City Federation of Women Club, a nonprofit promotes dedication to serving the Denton community.

This organization provides this organization proudly boasts championing women's civic and cultural life since 1891.

And this is on their building website.

If you try to find the website for the organization itself, it says pages are not found.

But if you're looking for a wedding or event to do, then you can see that information.

Exactly.

What is the organization role in the Denton community?

As an alumna of TWU, where do I fit in?

The City of Denton ground lease with the Denton Women's Club building.

Um states that the building is a gathering space with civic, cultural, and educational activities.

The city council deems it is in the public's interest to enter into a lease.

Is it in the best interest?

Why?

How I challenge the city council to consider how many members are in the city federation of women's club building that look clubs, excuse me, that look like me.

Is the organization inclusive or exclusive?

I suspect that many citizens of Denton are concerned, frustrated, and confused by the actions of the city council.

A more meaningful setting with conversation and feedback is needed to include all stakeholders.

And thank you for your time.

Okay, thank you.

Next speaker is Katina Stone Butler.

You can come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Katina Stone Butler, 31-year resident of North Denton.

Um, I just want to kind of start off by saying dying from natural causes is a lot different from being murdered.

And someone being murdered, it has ramifications that can last for generations.

So losing oil on land because of the Great Depression is a lot different from that land being stolen and never being made right.

And to point to your question of should everybody be responsible, yes, the city of Denton should be responsible.

TW should give scholarships.

There should be all kinds of equitable things that are happening from every entity that participated.

So just because we're holding the women's building or the clubhouse responsible or accountable to include us in these conversations doesn't mean that we should leave out TWU because they're getting money to archive a history, but they should be giving money to descendants.

We should include any any aspect of the city to make it right.

The Lord took 450 years to make enslavement of the children of Israel right.

So in a thousand years to him is like a day.

So if God can make it right, we can make it right.

But the community was removed through organized city and civic efforts.

Quaker Town was removed through organized city and civic civic efforts that included the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

We can't just skip over that and play semantics.

And other local women's clubs, and led to the women's clubhouse being built on that land and lease for a penny a year for 99 years.

They have a 99-year advantage.

That lease is now up for renewal with no community input for how it should be used.

The irony is clear.

A space that served a thriving, self-sufficient black community and its organizations was forcibly uprooted and given over to exclusive exclusionary women's social clubs.

And over the course of a century, that harm has never been made right.

There are black women's and other orgs in Denton today, as well as descendants of Quaker Town and residents of Southeast Denton who have never had a seat at the table when it comes to this space.

I am a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, one of the four historically black uh sororities.

And for over a hundred years, our organizations have exemplified the ideals of service, scholarship, sisterhood, and justice from our inception in the early 1900s.

We have modeled inclusion, even when it was not extended to us in our community.

And my personal experience, some years ago, as a young chapter president at UNT, I attempted to book the women's clubhouse and left with a clear understanding that access was not equal.

Denton is already a difficult place for anyone to secure venues.

A lease at a penny a year or $1,320 a year with this renewal removes one of the largest financial burdens for any work.

And that's I'll stop.

And I do want to make it clear that my comment was based on the letter from the HLC that said, and I quote, disrupt the established establishment of generational wealth and a shattered close-knit community that had endured decades of segregation and discrimination.

The fact that that establishment of generational wealth would have been carried over is subject to debate.

So I believe.

Okay.

Well, if you look at the displacement of townships across America after enslavement ended, because black people moved upward, like the upward mobility of black people right out of enslavement scared white people so bad because we were creating patents, we were buying land, we were doing all kinds of things that scared the crap out of them.

So then across the United States, townships were burned down, they were flooded, they were taken.

Quaker town is not unique.

And you cannot tell me that the impact of that is not residual.

You can't.

But this this says, well, you don't I there's plenty of people that make a lot of money and then don't hang on to it.

So black, okay, okay, mayor.

Yeah.

I mean sure.

Okay.

Millions of black black people being disenfranchised, marginalized, disparities, uh, health disparities, economical, like all kinds of disparities that have been that have impacted the black community.

It's just us not holding on to money.

No, no, I no, I agree.

But but I I don't agree that it's all staked to this lease.

I think they can lease I think they can lease the property, and we can still have these conversations.

I had my campaign kickoff party there, and I touched on this very moment that that it is significant that the Denton's first black mayor had his event at the at the women's building, which you couldn't normally do.

So I get it.

I'm that's not lost upon me.

But at the same time, it's also not lost upon me.

There's a lot of people that benefited, and and we're not asking them to come to the table and give it back.

And and and if we want to have that conversation, let's have that conversation.

But at the same time, it let's talk about the civic center pool there.

What do we do?

What do we do about that?

What do we do about the senior center?

What do we do about the civic center and the and the proceeds they make?

And and we're that that's the city is complicit to that.

And if we're gonna hold everybody accountable, let's hold everybody accountable.

But but let's not, I'm not trying to make anybody pay for the sins of the father, as Reverend Logan so graciously put it.

We just need to have a conversation and community input.

Sure.

Naming something at like I personally am completely against naming, you know, Quaker Town Park, naming at Quaker Town Park, what does that do?

That's not to me that's a that's a nice gesture, but it's not as equitable.

Sure.

Giving scholarships and putting money's money in hands and helping small black small businesses and things like that, though that's that's more my lane.

Yes.

But naming stuff out, naming streets, MLK, like that's great.

But I'm with you.

Like, let's do something that's more equitable.

Sure.

For everyone.

I agree.

And and not just the black residents, but also the indigenous indigenous residents, because the land was taken twice.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Butler, if you can come down and give your name, you'll have uh three minutes.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

There were uh I'm sorry, there were some questions.

I missed.

Sorry.

Yes, ma'am, please and thank you.

Okay.

Uh representative district five, go right ahead.

Yes.

Um first off, well done.

Thank you for the way which you so elegantly put it.

Um I waited, I wanted to wait until um someone who looked like me came so I could ask this question.

Um, and and and Dr.

Treed, I want to thank you for for the way in which you delicately tried to answer my colleagues' question.

I understand why you couldn't say it, and I appreciate that that respect.

Um what does healing look like?

Healing speakers.

And to those who are coming after all as well, to those black folks who are coming after speaking, I'd like to know what healing looks like in this case.

And if you can be somewhat specific, I appreciate that.

Yes, ma'am.

Healing looks like, because I'm originally from Memphis, um, and we had our own uprising.

Healing for me as a 31-year resident looks like inviting Andrea Berry to the conversation, seeking out Quaker town descendants, having conversations with them, and let's let's see what healing looks like for them.

I mean, for some people, it is acknowledgement.

For some people, it is naming the building, and I'm not taking anything away from because I'm not an original Quaker Town resident, but it's it starts with the conversation and not being obtuse uh with you know property values and things like that, as if there wasn't a history tied to we're not blaming the women in this building for the history, but the history is the history, and a 99 year lease for a penny a year.

And a 99-year lease for a penny a year, if my soberity had that type of you know, benefit, it would be amazing.

And we're international organization with chapters all over the world.

Give us a penny a lease, a penny a month or a penny a year, and see what we can do.

There has been, there have been benefits.

They have benefited from the lease.

Yes, they've taken care of the building, they've done great things, but there's been a great benefit, and there has been a great loss.

And we need to have be honest about what's what's happened.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you, Mayor.

Okay.

Next speaker is Elizabeth Darbin.

Sorry.

Can you come?

Yeah, come down, give your name.

You have three minutes.

Hi, I'm Elizabeth Darbin, Liz Darwin.

Um, I just wanted to get up here and say, and just uh being a part of the Denton community and um just being a little white girl, um, given my input on Quaker Town and the women's building.

I do not think that the lease should be renewed without people from the community, especially Quaker Quaker Town descendants, and the black uh community of Denton having a say in what goes on there.

Um I think personally, if I had it my way, it would be a museum for people of color to share their stories and their history and their art.

That would be what I would want to be done with it.

Um I don't know, I'm not well educated.

Um so all I can say is that I think that the vote should be tabled until the community at large, especially the descendants and the people that this has directly affected through generations to have their say.

Next speaker is uh Phyllis Minton.

Phyllis Minton, if you can come down and give your name.

You have yes.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Hudsmith and Council.

Uh what an evening to be here, and what beautiful testimony we've already heard.

I'm just going to tell you my story.

I was born in Dubuque, Iowa 47 years after the good citizens of Quaker Town were forced to vacate their robust small community so the city of Denton could build a park.

I moved to Denton 95 years after that community was moved out.

Two years later, I was invited by Martha Lynn Nelson to join her division of the City Federation of Women's Clubs, the current century department.

It was a lovely group of women who met monthly at each other's homes.

There were also general meetings at the women's club building.

And in general, um, it was a fabulous place for a newcomer to get to know what was going on in Denton and to be invited to join the many uh wonderful undertakings of the city.

If you all knew Martha Lynn Nelson, you know that she probably invited you to some new undertaking at least once a month.

Um the being a member of the women's club also meant that we participated in uh a book review luncheons monthly, which we hosted and had interesting speakers.

We baked cookies for the gentle artist and class, uh, arts and jazz festival.

About 10 years ago, one of the members, Donna Trammell, proposed using the women's club to put on one of her signature musical events for four nights in a row to benefit a different nonprofit each night.

I believe that has helped those groups raise about 200,000 to date.

Families have rented at a very modest price, the women's club for baby showers, piano resettles, weddings, funerals, holiday celebrations, and other joyful celebrations.

The women who are current members like myself never heard about the history of the building of the club 99 years ago until about the year 2000, when a TWU graduate student whose assignment was to do research and write a paper on some aspect of local history.

I don't know who introduced her to the members of the black community who were willing to tell the stories of Quaker Town.

I have known of other groups, such as the Japanese who were removed from their homes and held in guarded um camps during World War II and would never share their story.

I'm so glad that those families had the courage to begin to tell their story to a white historian.

What has the city of Denton done about to acknowledge the history of Quaker Town?

One, they've named a park in honor of the community it took the land from.

Number two, it placed a few markers around the park.

Number three, it commissioned a black brick sculpture which hangs in the entrance to the Civic Center.

And more recently, it put down the money to begin making a documentary on Quaker Town.

Uh that's my time.

How close are you?

Uh a little I've got away.

I've got a way.

Anyway, thank you for letting us come here.

And I hope you um go ahead and give us the extension of the lease.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor.

Oh, uh you we have a question.

Representative from District Two.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh uh, Phyllis, would um the we I'm gonna ask you um where were you going with the idea uh of where the city uh had compensated for, and if you could wrap that up?

I'm I'm really glad that the the Quaker Town uh documentary was gotten started by city funds.

I personally kicked in a few thousand dollars toward that goal because I think it's so important that that story be told and told often and told historically correctly.

That's all I wanted to say.

All right, thank you, Phyllis.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Mary Beth Rinky Doyle.

You can come down and give your name, you'll have three minutes.

Hi.

Hello.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Um my name is Mary Beth Rinky Doyle.

I've been a proud resident of Little D for 42 years.

Over those four decades, I've invested in this city through downtown Denton civic organizations, hours of volunteer work alongside neighbors who love this community as much as I do.

I'm writing to ask.

Well, actually, I'm not writing, I'm speaking to ask.

Sorry, I'm nervous, guys.

Um, I am speaking to ask for your support of item 6a on uh tonight's agenda for the lease renewal between the city of Denton and the Denton City Federation of Women's Clubs.

The women's club build excuse me, the women's club building at 610 Oakland Street is far more than a structure on leased land.

It represents decades of volunteer hours and fundraising fundraising by Denton women who built and maintained it for the benefit of the community.

Generations have given their time, their talent, their treasure to keep its doors open and its mission alive.

That mission matters.

The club supports the arts, literature, and music in Denton, and it provides a place where women are empowered, mentored, and connected to one another and to civic life.

Programs that begin in that building ripple outward to our schools, our downtown, and the culture identity of Denton itself.

I want to also acknowledge something that comes with stewardship of any space inside Quakertown Park.

The responsibility to honor the descendants of Quaker Town community and the families who are displaced from this land.

That history belongs to Denton and it must continue to be told in our parks, in our institutions, and in the partnerships the city chooses to renew.

The women's club has an ongoing role to play in keeping that story present.

And renewing this lease keeps a willing partner at the table to help help carry that work forward.

So no one ever forgets.

Renewing this lease is a recognition of what already works, a partnership between the city and a long-standing community institution that has earned its place in Quakertown Park.

Approving the renewal allows the Federation to continue planning, investing, and serving without disruption, and to continue honoring the full history of the ground it stands on.

I respectfully urge you to vote in favor of the lease renewal.

The women's club is part of the fabric of Denton, and it deserves the city's continued partnership.

Thank you for your time and your service.

Thank you.

We have one question here.

Thank you.

Um sorry, as someone I and you're a member of the uh Federation of Women's Clubs, is that correct?

Okay.

Correct.

Well, I I just wanted to clarify something.

I I'm not sure if it's true.

Some people have mentioned daughters of the Confederacy.

Is that associated with the Federation of Women's Clubs to the best of your knowledge?

Um to the best of my knowledge, uh no.

Um, but I do believe at that at the time when um the uh parkland was um when the bond beautification passed, I think um, and I I also saw the Quakertown documentary and um thought it was very worthwhile and educational.

Um at that time, it it seems that the daughters of the Confederacy um may have been also members of Aerial Club at that time.

I'm not certain.

Karen Riggs, who's um my the history buff might be able to answer better to that, but I would like to say that my grandmother was um a daughter of the revolution, so um there are members all across um you know interests of and walks of life uh in the aerial club.

Okay, I just never heard of that uh connection, and I was just wondering if you if you uh city federation of women's clubs actually starts um federally in DC and then works it way down, works its way down to the state in Austin, and then uh the city umbrella uh of Denton.

Or City of Denton is under that umbrella.

Thank you very much.

Okay, one more uh representative district five.

Mayor, this is for you.

Are we gonna hear from Mrs.

Riggs?

Yes, I think so.

I have a card in there.

I think so.

There's a lot of them.

Okay, I'll have a I'll reserve my question when when she comes forward.

Save by the bell.

No, got it.

Well done, thank you.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Uh next speaker is Michael Heron.

Pastor Mary Coharin, that better said.

Forgive me.

Good evening, everyone on the council and everyone.

My name is Michael Heron, and I live in the city of Denton.

And I'm here just uh probably like everybody else.

You you all have heard it.

I don't know if I can add anything to it.

Uh there's some questions as far as this lease is concerned.

Uh our process is to get us to a place of healing.

And you've been saying you asked that um uh uh uh councilman McGee about healing.

What does healing look like?

Healing looks like what it takes to reconcile us to a place where we can begin to move towards a better place.

So as it relates to this lease, I'm in opposition of it also of the lease for now so we could table it.

When should we table it?

Let's give a timeline.

Let's begin to work towards a solution.

What is it gonna take?

Maybe a 60-day timeline within the 90 days and say, let's come up with an answer within 60 days by meeting with the community.

I can see based on the slides that were presented here, there were some things that went out, but apparently there was some pieces that didn't get really brought up until later, and now it's fresh on the minds.

So let's try it again and go and see what we can do as far as making it fresh so that we can get to a place of healing.

The point is not to blame.

The point is not to hold the people accountable for what happened in the past.

I do think that one dollar lease for 99 years is ridiculous.

I do think that was ridiculous.

That was the time.

Uh and that was the time that it was at that time.

So we can't live in the past.

We have to move forward to the future.

But in order to move forward to the future, you have to respect what happened in the past so that you do not repeat the past again or get to a place where you're not able to move forward from it.

So I'm encouraging the council to give us a pause and let us go back to the table and begin to talk about what can we do?

What should we do?

I think it would be great to have it as a museum.

If Quaker Town Park is going to be there, then let's look at Quaker Town Museum and make it a museum for Quaker Town Museum.

You ask about the Civic Center pool.

I remember going to that pool as a kid.

Uh we walked to that pool on a regular basis to that pool.

Maybe the discussion becomes bigger and we make all of that Quaker Town.

Quaker Town Pool, Quaker Town Civic Center.

Maybe we begin to open it up even more.

Maybe that's on the table where we begin to be make that area back to that.

I'm open to those thoughts and suggestions, and I think people are open to conversations.

I don't I don't want us to get here and say we're just here to uh argue and complain and not move forward.

Let's move forward, but how do we move forward?

And so part of that reconciliation is let us go back to the table.

We're not saying no, we're saying postpone so that we can come up with a better solution.

And I'm going to yield my time unless there are questions.

Yes, sir.

So my question is this.

Would if if we're not blaming that institution, that group why hasn't it been proposed to find a location to do a museum?

In that same park.

Right?

It's how many acres is that park?

Uh you know, and we're we're lower and we're decreasing the footprint of that building.

Yeah.

Why is there if we're not holding them accountable, why can't we for all the all the things, right?

Why can't we put a museum someplace up?

Because case in point, it was referenced that they came through in a pinch in the for the black film festival.

If it's a museum, you can't use it because it's busy being a museum.

But if you build a museum that's exclusively for that in that same park, is that does that not achieve the same goal?

I mean, no, it it it uh comes and it gets you to a place where you're starting to move anything.

I don't think I've heard that being proposed on the table.

No, it hadn't because everyone's trying to get a pound of flesh out of an existing building versus thinking like how can we uh go forward and get stuff done and and and and even be better.

Like if if you gave me an option of a new building or a building that's been there 99 years, I'd probably opt for the new building that I can design and lay out how I want and make it ADA accessible because that first step is a doozy at that building.

And it's got one bathroom and in the women's bathrooms way back around in the corner, it's no good.

You know, I think you bring up good points.

Then the next question will be who's gonna fund that.

Yeah, how's that going to come about?

Does that get funded by the city?

Or do you expect the descendants of Quaker town to find it?

No, no, I don't I don't I I think that's a conversation for the future, but that's what I'm saying.

That's what I'm talking about.

It's like instead of trying to tie what people want to at least uh let's talk about what people want.

So uh think that's part of the conversation we need to have as we begin to have the conversation.

I knew I could have a conversation with you with you, so I want to check it out.

Yes, thank you very much.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Uh, next speaker, Greg Johnson.

All right, need some walk-up music.

Good afternoon, good night.

Yes, sir, council members.

Man, keep it real.

Not here for a zoning case, I'm here because my wife made me come, so if I'm here, I might as well talk.

My name is Greg Johnson, 3190 uh Teasley.

Uh what happened to the residents of Quakertown Park of Quakertown 100 years ago was absolutely wrong.

It was terrible, and it should not have happened.

Thankfully, we have improved as a society, and that would never happen today.

Oh, come on.

Punishing the women of this local aerial clubs, which has members of many races and do much charity work would be wrong.

Taking this venue away from the community would be wrong.

Two negatives did not make a positive.

This is an affordable venue for events.

Having paid for two wedding receptions in the last few years, I can tell you there aren't many affordable venues.

I've been to Quincenaros there, I've been to a family reunion there, I've been to kickoff parties for candidates there.

It's used for a lot of different uses by people of many races, and it's open to the whole community.

The city doesn't need or want the building.

You don't have the money to repair all the buildings you've got.

I promise you, you don't want that when I've been in it.

Other buildings located on Quakertown land have been mentioned.

So where do we stop?

Are we gonna tear down the Emily Flower Library?

We're gonna tear down the pool.

Where does it stop?

I'm glad somebody mentioned uh earlier, you know, the sins of the fathers.

I'm very thankful I have to pay for my father and grandfather's sins.

There has been four years of time for public engagement.

When I sat in a seat right there where Jill's sitting before I took that seat the first time, an old wise guy who used to sit in that seat said every time you vote, you're gonna piss off somebody and you're gonna make somebody happy.

The ones you make happy will never call you.

And so the truth of the matter is when you took that seat, you probably weren't looking to be popular, you were probably looking to make the city better and do the right thing, right?

And you have to check your personal agenda at the door when you take that seat.

So the truth of the matter is there's been four years of time for public engagement and conversation, and you can kick the can so that you don't have to vote, and maybe you don't have to be up there when the vote happens.

Well, that's your responsibility today is to vote.

You have the information, make a call.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, no, and and I I will say I know you got grouses, but I tend to believe that as Denton's first black mayor, Denton's pretty okay.

Uh, and it's a really great city, and they're very understanding, and they're willing to give a give a guy from Denton a shot uh from Southeast Denton from Willow Creek, uh, all the things, right?

Uh, and and I think it's a pretty fantastic city, so I echo your statement.

Thank you very much.

Uh Leah Johnson, next speaker.

If you give your name, you have three minutes.

Hello, Mayor and Council members.

My name is Leah Johnson, and I am the wife of Greg Johnson.

Do not hold that against me, please.

Thought we needed a little humor.

So I am a Denton resident and a member of the Aerial Club.

I did not grow up in Denton, and when I first moved here, I did not know the full history of the city or of Quaker Town Park or of Quakertown.

Over time, I have come to understand more, and I do believe that history is important, and it deserves to be acknowledged and honored.

What I would like to speak to personally is what I have experienced since becoming a part of this community.

The women of the Aerial Club and the Federation welcomed me in, and through that I have found connection and a deeper sense of belonging in Denton.

The women's club building is a big part of that.

It's not just a historic structure, it's an active living space that serves this community every day.

From luncheons that bring in educational and engaging speakers to events like Breakfast with Santa to the many gatherings hosted there.

It is a place where people come together.

It is also one of the few truly affordable venues in Denton, as my husband said.

Paying for a wedding reception space or a quintineta space or whatever it is is very uh an affordable spaces almost impossible to find.

And the women's club building does afford that.

Um receptions, family reunions, quincinettas, and celebrations that otherwise would be out of reach for many families, and that accessibility matters.

The federation's mission is centered on serving the community through education, culture, and connection, and the building is the vehicle that makes that possible.

Renewing this lease provides the stability needed to continue that work to care for the building and to ensure it remains a space that serves all of Denton.

I respectfully ask you to support the lease renewal and allow this space to continue contributing to our community.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Liam Gom Whitefield.

Hello, I'll try to keep this brief because we're all pretty tired and probably want to go home at this point.

Uh but there's a like this is a big question with a long history.

I remember learning about this in eighth grade, and we they taught us about it, and we reread a book based on the store the of the event happening.

I I can't remember the book it was, but it always sort of like stuck with me.

Uh there's a like this sort of decisions have been a long time in the making, and I don't know what the community like in Southeast didn't want, or or the original community.

Like I can't speak for them, but at the very least, maybe we could have some a little bit extra time before the city has to sign it.

Just a little bit longer.

Uh at the very least.

But at let us at least try to do it.

Um I concede my time, and that's what I have to say.

Thank you.

Um Peyton Swick.

If you can give your name, you have three minutes.

My name is Peyton Swick.

Mayor, Council.

Thank you for your time tonight.

I am a fifth generation Dentonite and I support renewing this lease.

The women's club building represents nearly a century of housing dedication by Denton women who have invested their time, talent, and resources to sustain it.

The Federation brings together women of all ages and backgrounds to lead, learn, and grow together.

Through scholarships, programs, and community engagement.

It continues to strengthen our city, providing meaningful returns on its place in Quakertown Park.

Renewing this lease, which is all we're asking for, recognizes a partnership that works and ensures it continues benefit to Denton.

Thank you again for your consideration.

Thank you.

Next speaker, Jordan Villarieal.

Give your name three minutes.